


Blinded by the Colors

by Hostiles_on_the_hill



Series: Luke Skywalker Deserves Better [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Slow Build, Slow Burn, assassin!reader, hey look! she isn’t someone’s sister this time lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-02-17 22:03:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 92,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21700459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hostiles_on_the_hill/pseuds/Hostiles_on_the_hill
Summary: (Y/N) is a part of the League of Shadows, an institute older than the now extinct Jedi Order. She has been trained to hunt down, maim, and even kill her targets, without hesitation.One day, she is given a task: Find Luke Skywalker and bring him to the Empire.
Relationships: Luke Skywalker/Reader, Luke Skywalker/You
Series: Luke Skywalker Deserves Better [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1477760
Comments: 85
Kudos: 152





	1. Prologue

“Again.”  
  
(Y/N)’s small hand lifts the blaster, steady and sure, and fires six times without hesitation. She can’t hesitate, that’s how you die. That’s why her friend, Jax, now falls to the ground, dead. Along with five other people.  
  
(Y/N) doesn’t know their names, they aren’t Shadows like her and Jax are. Or were, when it comes to Jax. It doesn’t matter, (Y/N) actually thinks it makes it easier. It’s easier to think of them as not actually people with families, friends, and lives. They aren’t someone’s father, mother, sister, brother, son, daughter, something. Just dull, flat, boring nothings. A means to an end: making her a perfect tool for the League to wield.

Besides, (Y/N) knows that, like disobedience, crying, or speaking when not permitted, hesitation warrants brutal punishment or even death. It’s why Jax is now just one of many corpses.  
  
Her Master nods once, all the approval she’ll get, before waving a hand.  
  
The door opens and two other Shadows come out and drag the bodies away. When the last body is removed, and the door is shut, a buzzer sounds. The bodies are heavy, dead weight always is. (Y/N) knows this, because she just spent the past three days dragging them out while her fellow Shadows trained.  
  
The door on the other side of the room opens and six more people are forced in. Their cries and screams fall on (Y/N)’s deaf ears and she stands motionless. Waiting for the command she knows is coming.  
  
“Again.”

***SOME YEARS LATER***

Electricity rips through (Y/N)’s body. Her limbs jerk as the muscles contract involuntarily, but her mouth remains closed. 

(Y/N) thinks she can smell her flesh burning as the voltage increases, but still she doesn’t open her mouth. She will not scream, cry, or answer their questions. Punishment would be far worse than this.  
  
Above the crackling of electricity dancing across her body, (Y/N) can hear the beeping of the heart monitor. It’s rapid, very rapid, and (Y/N) finds solace in the fact that it means this will soon stop. Her Masters are always careful not to go too far.  
  
The machine clicks and the electricity stops. (Y/N) huffs out a small breath of relief.  
  
“Good.”  
  
(Y/N) nods, “Thank you, Master Ona,” as her body continues to shake from the leftover charge.  
  
She sits in silence, listening to her heartbeat slow, the only sound in the room. Once it drops down to normal, she readjusts her grip on the armrests.  
  
(Y/N)’s back arches as the electricity tears through her body again.

***SOME YEARS LATER***

The clamps pull her lower lip away, exposing the inner part to the air.  
  
(Y/N)’s eyes are trained on the Master Ga-teh and the branding iron in his hand.  
  
She does nothing as the white hot metal presses down.

“You have done well, Shadow (Y/N).” The clamps release.  
  
“Thank you, Master,” (Y/N) slurs around her inflamed lip as blood runs down her chin.

***SOME YEARS LATER***

(Y/N) pulls the fabric back up to cover her mouth, having moved it to take a drink from her canteen.  
  
She’s been on Jedha for a week now. Normally, she’d have completed her task in, at most, three days. But the recent rumblings through the galaxy had made her unwilling to return to the Temple. Rumblings of a new weapon for the Empire, as well as a potential weakness.  
  
The League had completed tasks for the Empire since before (Y/N) was born. Being one of the top Shadows, there was a good chance she would be assigned to clean up this colossal mess. And (Y/N) has no desire to get wrapped up in planet destroyers and the Rebellion. It didn’t bode well for her. So she was stalling in her mission here to hunt down and kill a Gran.  
  
She slips out of the sun, under a small covered area, sharp eyes scanning the street. The Gran is slippery, so (Y/N) hadn’t found his exact place of residence in her lackluster search effort. She does know it is on this particular street though.  
  
“Greetings, Shadow.”  
  
(Y/N)’s head snaps over to the sitting man she had initially dismissed. His grey clothing begins to darken into its true colors and his skin swirls into a more tan pigmentation. His blind eyes are eerily trained on her.  
  
Her own eyes flicker over him, taking in his clothing. He is a monk, one of warrior monks of the Sacred City. (Y/N) understands now how he could tell who and where she is.  
  
“Hello, monk.”  
  
“What you are searching for is not here,” he replies cryptically. 

(Y/N)’s eyebrow ticks up, “How would you know, blind man? Not even the Force can tell you of every inhabitant of this city.”  
  
“No,” the monk chuckles, “I don’t mean the Gran. He is in the city.”  
  
“Well he is who I search for, so you are mistaken.”  
  
The monk smiles knowingly, which makes (Y/N) scowl. He says, “I said ‘what’, not ‘who’...though what you seek can be found in a who.”  
  
“I have no time for riddles, monk. Especially ones that don’t make sense, as I search for nothing.”  
  
(Y/N) turns to walk away, having grown tired of the blind man’s games.  
  
“Purpose.”  
  
(Y/N)’s foot freezes in the air as her mind involuntarily flashes back to her youth. Back when she had been horrified of what her Masters made her do and the self hatred that had sucked on her soul like a parasite. Back when something inside her asked if what they made her do was right. The feelings and traitorous thoughts (Y/N) had tried to rip out of her body, and then buried deep within when she found she couldn’t. The feelings she had all but forgotten, now sink their claws into her again and make her cold heart ache.  
  
The question flashes through her mind, despite her efforts to block it out: _What have I done?_  
  
“It isn’t what you have done, but what they made you do.”  
  
(Y/N) faces the monk again, seeing his clothing and skin gain further coloration, anger bubbling in her stomach. She hisses, “What did you say?”  
  
“The first thing or the second?”  
  
Her nostrils flair.  
  
“You seek purpose in life. To do something you actually want to do.”  
  
“I-“  
  
“No, you don’t. Your Masters want you to. You’ve never done a thing in your whole life of your own free will.”  
  
(Y/N) glares at him, spitting harsh words to drown out the small voice saying _He’s right_ , “You don’t know a damn thing about me, monk.”  
  
“I know more than you think, (Y/N).”  
  
(Y/N)’s hand twitches slightly towards the blaster on her hip.  
  
“Listen well, monk. If you know as much as you claim, then you know I could rip your throat out with my bare hands without breaking a sweat. And I doubt your friend,” (Y/N)’s eyes briefly flicker to the man in the shadows holding a bulky blaster, whose eyebrows raise slightly in surprise, “would like that. And while I have no doubt I could kill him just as effortlessly, I can’t afford to blow my cover.”  
  
(Y/N) allows her words to register before continuing, “I also know that the Empire’s operations have been plagued with attacks during their time in this city. I’m sure a Guardian of the Whills and his associate make nice suspects. And there’s an Imperial squadron just a block over. But I see no reason to involve them, unless you give me one. So how about we both just mind our own business?”  
  
Instead of looking afraid, as people tend to when (Y/N) speaks to them, the monk smiles at her. Almost fondly. As if she were a child up to innocent antics, instead of a trained assassin with weapons strapped to multiple parts of her body threatening his life.  
  
“Very well, (Y/N),” the monk looks as if he wants to say more, but stops and looks to the sky.  
  
(Y/N) does too, noticing the lack of shuttles flying to the large Imperial Destroyer.  
  
“I fear the city has served its purpose.”  
  
(Y/N) frowns, thinking it should be a good thing the Empire was leaving the monk’s home. But it soon clicks, “And so it has lost its purpose.”  
  
The monk nods sadly, “Go find your Gran, you shouldn’t stay here much longer.”  
  
“Has the Force told you where he is?” (Y/N) could find the Gran fairly quickly, but she doesn’t want to linger here. If the monk knows, she will be able to leave faster.  
  
“No, but his eyes have,” the monk jerks his staff in the direction of his friend, “Ask Baze.”  
  
(Y/N) walks behind the monk to Baze.  
  
“May the Force of others be with you,” the blind man picks up the mantra he had been saying when (Y/N) had unintentionally approached him.  
  
Baze adjusts the casual grip on his blaster, “He’s staying in a hotel, two buildings down.”  
  
(Y/N)’s attention is drawn at the monk’s raised voice, “Yes, I’m speaking to you,” he beckons someone over.  
  
She watches a young woman with bangs that have a flicker of brown and frame her face approach him curiously.  
  
“I am Chirrut Îmwe.”  
  
“How did you know I was wearing a necklace?”  
  
“For that answer, you must pay.”  
  
The woman glances up at Baze and (Y/N), taking in their appearances and watchful gazes.  
  
“What do you know of kyber crystals?” Chirrut reclaims her attention.  
  
“My father,” she provides, “He...he said they powered the Jedi’s lightsabers.”  
  
A dark haired man in a heavy coat flairs with color as he calls to the woman urgently, “Jyn. Come on, let’s go.”

She starts to walk away, but looks back at Chirrut, clearly wishing to stay. Jyn walks towards the dark haired man, glancing back again when Chirrut calls after her, “The strongest stars have hearts of kyber.”  
  
The pair of them hurry away, talking quietly.  
  
(Y/N) steps away from the shadows and Baze, coming to stop between the two men, “Farewell.”  
  
Baze nods at her silently.  
  
Chirrut smiles gently, “Farewell, (Y/N). I hope you find your purpose soon.”  
  
(Y/N) can’t bring herself to protest and instead turns and walks towards the hotel and her target. Her brow furrows, knowing the monk’s words would linger with her for a while.

***

“Shadow (Y/N).”  
  
“Master Dyla.”  
  
“We have a task for you.”  
  
“Of course, Master. What is it?”  
  
“Capture Luke Skywalker and turn him over to the Empire.”  
  
“Yes, Master.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clarify a few things:  
> \- The *SOME YEARS LATER* time jumps are deliberately vague because (Y/N) doesn’t have any means to track her life and it all blends together at The Temple.  
> \- The weird coloration thing will be explained in a later chapter, so don’t worry if it doesn’t make sense right now :)


	2. Chapter 2

(Y/N) follows the small group of rebels. She had managed to find them easily. This fact would have been concerning, given the Rebellion’s need for secrecy and going undetected, but (Y/N) didn’t care. Their incompetence only made her life easier.    
  
She had been following them since they had picked up cargo from the supplier they met here. Five of them carry large, nondescript crates whose contents are unknown to her.    
  
(Y/N) listens intently, trying to see which one was her target: Luke Skywalker. The file she had been provided on the man was nearly empty, containing no photo, physical description, or background on the man. All she got from it was that he was aligned with the Rebellion and had been the one responsible for destroying the Death Star. And (Y/N) had known that before reading the useless file. All the members of the group swirl with grey and their real colors, those she’s eliminated from possibility almost completely grey.    
  
“What do you say, Luke?” One of them elbows a blonde man in a teasing manner.    
  
The blonde shoves him back playfully, “Sure.”   
  
(Y/N)’s eyes lock onto the back of the blonde man’s head, field of view narrowing to focus on him completely. His coat becomes more blue than grey and the blonde of his hair brightens to a more realistic color.    
  
He has a narrow build, partially hidden by the bulkier jacket he wears, and is taller than her by a couple of inches. A blaster rests in the holster on his hip, but he appears to carry no other weapon. Then again, who knows what is on his front or hidden in the jacket.    
  
(Y/N) touches the fabric covering her face, ensuring it is secure, and steps closer to the group. The other man has moved on to tease someone else, leaving Skywalker alone at the back of the group, which makes it easy to grab him. She places a firm hand over his mouth and uses all her strength to lift him up, so he can’t scuffle to attract the attention of the others, and carries him to the nearby dark alley.   
  
She releases Skywalker when he twists in her grip, and the man turns to face her.    
  
“What are yo-“ his words cut off with a noise of surprise when (Y/N) shoves him hard. 

Skywalker’s hand flails, unintentionally catching the fabric covering her face, and falls to the ground. (Y/N) immediately straddles him, pinning the hand on the blaster side to the ground with her foot. Keeping most of her weight on her other knee to avoid injuring him, (Y/N) whips out the knife from her belt and plants a firm hand on the center of his chest.

She ignores her partially exposed face in favor of looking down at the face of her prey.    
  
What she sees makes her pause and say in disbelief, “You...you’re just a boy.”   
  
Luke Skywalker is young, in more ways than one. His face is fresh and slightly dazed from the fall, instead of scarred and wrinkled like she had been expecting. He must be around her own age. The innocent look on his face also tells of his youthfulness, as well as his inexperienced way of reacting to her. Skywalker has made no efforts to call for his friends or even reach for a weapon. His wide eyes make her frown. He’s afraid of her. His clear blue eyes are not the eyes of a veteran rebel. His colors flair dramatically, spreading into each other and onto the ground beneath him.   
  
“What do they want with someone like you?”   
  
Skywalker offers no answer, expression showing he is as confused as she is.    
  
(Y/N)’s grip tightens on her knife, remembering the words of Chirrut. Skywalker reminds (Y/N) of her younger self. That innocent look in his eyes is one that she has no conscious memory of ever seeing in her own reflection. If (Y/N) were to complete her mission and take Skywalker to the Empire, she would be no better than her Masters and the people who give their children to the League. The thought feels like an icy hand squeezing her heart.    
  
(Y/N) slips the knife back onto her belt, removes her boot from Skywalker’s wrist, and stands. She moves to one side of his prone body so she no longer straddles him, and holds out her hand.    
  
Skywalker sits up, looking at her in confusion and then at her hand in suspicion.   
  
“It doesn’t bite,” (Y/N) twists her hand either way to show it is harmless.    
  
Skywalker takes her hand cautiously and (Y/N) pulls him to his feet. She drops his hand and looks him up and down. He does the same to her.    
  
(Y/N) breaks the brief silence, “A large reward is being offered for your capture.”   
  
For the first time, Skywalker acts in self preservation and rests a hand on his blaster. He doesn’t take it out of the holster, though, instead asking, “And what are you going to do about it?”   
  
(Y/N) pulls the rumpled fabric back into place, covering her nose and left side of her face that had been exposed, so only her eyes are visible to Skywalker, “Nothing. You can go,” and steps to the side. The way to the street, and his fellow rebels, is now unblocked.    
  
Luke’s blue eyes leave her for the first time to look at the street and they flair slightly. It serves as an unintentional warning to (Y/N), who immediately turns. She grabs the blaster flying towards her temple, snapping it sharply from the grip of the rebel. Her elbow goes with it, cracking across his face, maybe breaking his nose. The rebel shouts in pain, but (Y/N) pays it no mind, hooking her foot around his leg and jerking. The rebel falls to the ground with a thump and (Y/N) looks at the entrance of the alley, seeing several more rebels. 

Quickly ruling that way out, (Y/N) runs to the wall of the building that makes up one side of the alley. She jumps up, grabbing one of the rungs of the ladder that leads to the roof. She scrambles up it, hearing shouting below her but ignoring it. 

There’s a shot of a blaster and (Y/N) lets go with one hand, swinging to the side and hitting brick. The shot, which may have hit her if she hadn’t moved, strikes the ladder. The old metal gives way and starts to fall back to the ground. 

Unperturbed, (Y/N) jumps through the air, hands finding purchase on the ledge of the other building’s roof. The ladder hits the ground with a loud bang. 

There’s more shuffling of feet and shouting below her. (Y/N) lifts herself up over the ledge and rolls onto the roof. She springs up onto her feet. 

(Y/N) looks back over the edge, seeing how the rebel group has started to disperse, no doubt coming after her. One of them starts climbing up the ladder that will lead to the roof she is currently on. 

(Y/N) takes off running. She’s tempted to blast open the door that leads to the building below her feet, but thinks better of it. Some of the rebels are probably going in the building right now to try and catch her trying to escape. 

Wind whistles in her ears as (Y/N) leaps into the air. Her feet barely have the chance to land before she’s running again. The rebels will reach the roof in moments, but (Y/N)’s already on another building. 

“Hey!” Someone behind her shouts, “You!” 

(Y/N) ignores the calls, continuing on her path. 

There are more shouts but she just jumps again, moving further from the group. 

A flash of red flies past her. If the aim was better, it would have hit her leg. They’re trying to injure her, not kill her. (Y/N) knows they’ll want to question her on why she tried to capture Skywalker. Another blast flies past her, closer than the last. 

(Y/N) plants her foot and jumps once more, hurtling through the air. She lands on the new roof, now several buildings away from the rebels. She doesn’t want to stay up here, she risks getting shot. Instead, she heads for the door that will bring her down into the building. They’ll have to come back down to ground level to pursue her, and in the time it takes for them to do that, she’ll be able to distance herself. 

(Y/N) glances over her shoulder at the rebels still standing on the roof of the first building. None were brave enough to make the jump. (Y/N) looks forward again as she approaches the door. 

It swings open and Skywalker steps out. (Y/N) skids across the roof, turning sharply and running to the edge of the building. How had he known to come to this building? How had he known she would jump from building to building and decide this was the one to come down in?

“Hey!”

She doesn’t have time to mull over these questions, his footsteps sound behind her. 

(Y/N) pulls at the grappling hook on her belt, pulling the wire loose. She needs to get off this roof. 

She tosses it at the exhaust vent she passes, hoping the fixture is secure enough to hold her weight. 

“Hey, stop!” Skywalker calls behind her. 

(Y/N) pays him no mind, throwing herself off the roof. The wire pulls taut and her feet hit the wall. She scales down quickly, cutting the wire with her knife once she’s on the ground. 

She looks up to see Skywalker watching her. 

There’s a pounding of footsteps and (Y/N) plants her foot, spinning around to deliver a kick. The rebel stops to avoid it, which allows her to quickly kick with her other foot. This one, the one meant to make contact, nails him in the stomach. The rebel falls the ground with a yelp and (Y/N)’s running away before he has a chance to realize what just happened. 

(Y/N) darts down the street, heading back to the docking zone where her small ship is. It’s the only one near this settlement so even if the rebels follow her, there are too many ships for them to find her in time. She’ll be blasting away from the planet before they even realize she’s on a ship. 

(Y/N) hears the shouting and running of the rebel group as they try to regroup and coordinate something. 

She approaches the end of the street, but hears movement around the side of the building she’s meant to turn at. (Y/N) comes to a stop at the corner, waiting and listening as the people come closer. 

She throws out an arm, clotheslining the first rebel. He runs into her arm and drops like a stone. (Y/N) kicks away his blaster and steps over him. The second rebel has his blaster drawn but it’s better as a long range weapon and she’s already on top of him. (Y/N) lunges forward, smacking down his arm. Her arm swings back to slap across his face. Her knee comes up to hit him in the groin and she shoves him backwards. Dazed and in pain, he falls to the ground. Fight over in a matter of seconds, the first rebel is only just rising to him feet. (Y/N) kicks him in the stomach. He groans, doubling over, and (Y/N) grabs the back of his head to drive it into her leg. He falls to the ground again, nose gushing blood. 

(Y/N) turns on her heel and continues towards the docking zone. 

At the edge of the zone where just a few ships sit, two other rebels spot her, running at her. That’s a mistake. (Y/N) pulls out her own blaster, shooting theirs from their hands. Unarmed, the two slow their approach. 

(Y/N) reholsters her blaster. Her mission was to capture Luke Skywalker, not kill no name rebels. Her goal now is to escape, and they don’t have to die for her to achieve that. She steps forward and the two instinctively spread out. Her smile is hidden by the fabric. How predictable. 

She steps towards the man on the left first, throwing a knife at the feet of the one on the right. It plants itself in the ground between his shoes. He backs away on instinct, giving (Y/N) a second to handle the first. She throws the punch quickly. The man tries to dodge but it hits his face regardless. She stomps on his foot while using her elbow to hit him again. The man throws out his arm, which (Y/N) grabs and uses to flip him over. She maintains her grip on the arm, which makes the rebel arch his back to try and stop the pain. (Y/N) takes ahold his wrist and jerks sharply, dislocating it. She drops the arm and it falls to the ground. 

The other rebel grabs her from behind. (Y/N) snaps her head back, hearing the crack of his nose as it hits her skull. She shoves an elbow into his stomach. His grip loosens and (Y/N) breaks the hold. She grabs his arm and yanks him over her shoulder and onto the rebel still on the ground. They both groan loudly. 

(Y/N) steps around them and starts running again. 

Another rebel comes running at her. (Y/N) jumps at him, wrapping her legs around him. Grabbing ahold and swinging her body around, (Y/N) twists the rebel until he falls to the ground. Pining his one arm with her boot, she pops out the shoulder joint of the other. The man shouts and (Y/N) backhands him before he draws the attention of someone else.

(Y/N) stands, removing her boot. She walks away, approaching her ship. She doesn’t remember how many rebels there were, but most of them have to be out of commission at this point. 

She starts to ascend the ramp of her ship when who but Luke fucking Skywalker is suddenly there in front of her, blaster firing. 

(Y/N) had reached for her blaster the moment he revealed himself, but it’s not enough. 

The blast hits her and she collapses. She’s unconscious before she hits the ramp. 

***

Luke looks down at the assassin’s prone form until Wedge touches his arm, “You okay?”   
  
“Yeah, she didn’t hurt me.” The back of his head aches from falling to the ground, but other than that, he’s unharmed. The woman had seemed ready to kill him, before stopping and ultimately letting him go. Luke frowns in confusion. Her actions had been almost erratic in the way she had changed her mind so suddenly. The ease at which the woman had taken him said she was highly skilled, so to hesitate and not notice the guys coming into the alley was strange and definitely out of character.    
  
“What did she want?”   
  
“Me. She said a reward was being offered for my capture.”   
  
“What happened?” Tarrin’s strained voice comes from the bottom of the ramp.    
  
“She changed her mind,” Luke supplies.    
  
“What are we going to do with her?”   
  
“Leave her?” Wes offers, cradling his one arm.    
  
“No,” Hobbie says, blood running down his face, “She found us too easily, who’s to say she won’t change her mind again?”   
  
“Take her with us?” Dak asks.    
  
“I think so.”   
  
“Luke?”   
  
Luke crouches down beside her, “Sure.”   
  
He rolls the assassin onto her back and pulls away the fabric covering her face, revealing it fully for the first time.    
  
“Damn,” Zev whistles, walking over to get a look, “She looks younger than you.”   
  
Luke nods in silent agreement. The woman, or girl might actually be the better term, looks about his age. Luke doesn’t think it really matters how old she is, given her obvious skills. She isn’t to be underestimated.    
  
“Alright, well let’s get out of here,” Wedge orders.    
  
Luke scoops her into his arm, adjusting his hold on the girl and stands once she’s carefully cradled in his arms. Her body is angled towards him to make it easier and her relaxed face rests against the nook of his chest and arm.    
  
“You got her?”   
  
“Yeah, lets go.”  


***

(Y/N) awakens as her hand is taken. 

The soft surface under her says she’s on a bed of some sort and when she opens her eyes a sliver, she can see one the rebels cuffing her wrists.    
  
(Y/N) snatches his hand in response, eyes flashing open. He jerks away in surprise, but (Y/N)’s grip is unrelenting.    
  
“You know,” (Y/N) says as she sits up, “it’s not every day I wake up in handcuffs. And I thought a gentleman was supposed to take a lady to dinner first.”   
  
She glances at the other rebels on either side of the one whose hand she holds. They are in various states of disarray: dirty from getting knocked to the ground, bloody faces, swollen eyes and noses, an arm carefully cradled. Their blasters are either already aimed at her or ready to be at the slightest twitch.    
  
(Y/N) glances back at the one who cuffed her before releasing his hand, leaving behind a white impression on the skin from the grip. She lifts her hands, fingers splayed to show she means no harm, before resting them in her lap. Her eyes flicker across the room. She’s on their ship. The faint sound of engines says they’ve left the planet, if not already at lightspeed.   
  
She looks around at the rebels watching her carefully. (Y/N) jerks forward, biting harmlessly at the air in front of her. The rebel that had been trying to cuff her jumps back, almost falling over. All the blasters are now trained on her.    
  
(Y/N) laughs, “You rebels are so skittish.”   
  
She looks to the left, spotting her former target who is rubbing the back of his head, “Luke Skywalker...your head?”   
  
His hand drops self consciously, “I hit it.”   
  
“When you knocked him over,” one of them, the one she dropped in the alley, says accusingly, “Why’d you do that?”   
  
(Y/N) replies while glancing at the dark haired man who stands next to Skywalker, noting the filled needle he holds. The man’s colors sharpen and brighten as (Y/N) offers, “I was hired to capture him.”   
  
“By who?”   
  
“The Galactic Empire.” The rebels all tense, glancing amongst themselves and at Skywalker.    
  
“Why’d you stop?” Skywalker asks.    
  
(Y/N) smiles and raises an eyebrow in mock reprimand, “Don’t get ahead of yourself. I don’t think the leaders of the Rebellion would appreciate being left out of this conversation.”   
  
Before any of them can say anything, (Y/N) asks, “I take it you want to give me something?”   
  
The silence is answer enough.    
  
(Y/N) glances around again, before focusing on Skywalker, “Very well.”

The dark haired man sits down carefully beside her and (Y/N) flicks her head so her hair no longer covers her arm. He leans over and smoothly gives her the shot. His wrist is freshly bandaged. 

(Y/N) lets her amusement flicker across her features before laying back down on the bed. She shuts her eyes and waits. 

***  


There’s a painful crick in her neck from being tucked forward for so long. (Y/N) lifts her head, removing her chin from her sternum, alleviating some of the pinching sensation. She rolls her neck as she takes in the room around her. Besides herself, the room contains the leaders of the Rebellion, along with Skywalker, some of the rebels from before, and Princess Leia of Alderaan. They all possess varying amounts of color, depending on factors (Y/N) can’t consciously keep track of, but none are completely grey.   
  
“She’s awake.”   


The murmured conversations halt as all eyes focus on her.    
  
(Y/N) smirks silently.    
  
“What’s your name?” the woman in white asks.    
  
“(Y/N) (Y/L/N).”   
  
“Commander Skywalker says you were hired by the Empire to capture him.”   
  
“Yes and no.”   
  
“Explain.”   
  
“The Empire didn’t hire me directly. They hired the League and I was chosen to complete the task,” (Y/N) supplies.    
  
“League?” Leia asks.    
  
“Surely you know of the League of Shadows?”   
  
Almost everyone nods.    
  
(Y/N) spreads her restrained hands the best she can in a presenting gesture, “I am a Shadow.”   
  
“Impossible. You are far too young,” one the leaders remarks.    
  
(Y/N) raises an unimpressed eyebrow, “You said you were familiar with the League.”   
  
“I am.”   
  
“Then you know there is no such thing as too young.”   
  
Several of the people in front of her still look skeptical.    
  
(Y/N) lifts her hands and everyone tenses slightly. She fights the eye roll and somewhat awkwardly pulls down her lower lip. They inch closer and (Y/N) can see many of them wince in sympathy.    
  
Resting there, is the yellow circle and red triangle that were seared into her flesh years ago.    
  
(Y/N) releases her lip, “That is a mark of my status. The red triangle tells you I’m not only a Shadow, but I’m the best.”   
  
One of Skywalker’s rebels asks, “Best what?”   
  
“At killing. Espionage, sabotage, hunting someone down. Whatever you need,” (Y/N) smiles sweetly, “You could uncuff me and I could give you a demonstration. If the one I already gave you wasn’t enough.”   
  
Everyone around her tenses.    
  
(Y/N) rolls her eyes, “So distrusting. I don’t mean you.”   
  
“Then who do you mean?” Leia asks.    
  
(Y/N) shrugs, “I’m not picky. I am here to humbly offer my skills to the Rebellion.”   
  
“Why?”   
  
“You originally wanted to capture Commander Skywalker,” one leader adds, “Now you want to work for us?”  


(Y/N) fights the irrational urge to glance at Skywalker, “I’m reading the situation.”   
  
“You mean you got captured,” a rebel counters smugly.   


(Y/N) bites her tongue, refusing to take the bait. She knows how precarious the situation is, it wouldn’t help to point out she could kill everyone in this room if she wanted. 

“The League has high prices,” a Mon Calamari speaks up.   
  
(Y/N) nods, “I will provide my services with a significant discount.”   
  
“How significant?”   
  
“Give me a number,” (Y/N) smiles pleasantly, “I’m open to negotiate.”  


***

(Y/N) slips her hands through the slot next to the door. The rebel on the other side unlocks the cuffs and removes them. (Y/N) brings her hands back to her side and the slot slams shut. The rebel walks away without a word. 

She turns around to take in her ‘room’. There’s a bed with a thin mattress, a toilet and sink, and that’s it. Her sharp eyes spot the burst of color that is a hidden camera in the corner where the wall and ceiling meet, but she doesn’t give it a second glance.    
  
(Y/N) sits on the bed, commenting to no one, “Not the best, but definitely not the worst.”   
  
She looks down at her socked feet, wiggling her toes. The rebels had taken her boots because they each carried several knives. They took her jacket and the fabric she used to cover her face on missions, as well as her multiple holsters and the weapons in them. All that’s left is her plain shirt and pants. And her collar. (Y/N)’s lips quirk into a sly smile. The garrote wire is still safely inside.    
  
Not that she intends on using it. The Rebellion hadn’t given her an answer, so she saw no reason to burn bridges by escaping her room or the base.    
  
(Y/N) glances at the door. It’s glass, thick, but clear so people can look in and peer at her like some boring zoo exhibit. As if the camera isn’t enough, (Y/N) scoffs quietly.    
  
She lays down on the bed and tries to find a comfortable position, figuring she should get some rest that’s unprompted by a blaster.  


***

  
  
(Y/N) turns her head to the side, abandoning the plain, light grey ceiling she had been staring at, to look at the glass door.    
  
“Luke Skywalker,” she sits up and swings her legs over to rest her feet on the floor, “How’s the head?”   
  
“Fine,” he rubs the back of it subconsciously, “I’ve got a hard head.”   
  
“Have you been sent to interrogate me?”   
  
“What?” Skywalker asks in surprise, “No.”   
  
(Y/N) stands gracefully and walks over to the glass panel, saying only when she comes to a stop, “Then why are you here?”   
  
Skywalker glances away briefly before looking back at her, “I wanted to ask you something.”   
  
(Y/N) raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms, “And this isn’t an interrogation?”   
  
“No. They didn’t send me, I came by myself.”   
  
(Y/N) inclines her head, “Ask away.”   
  
Skywalker opens his mouth to ask the question before stopping himself. It’s so minuscule, if (Y/N) didn’t make a living off of reading people, she wouldn’t have seen it. The question Skywalker wanted to ask when he came here isn’t the one he’s about to.    
  
“Why did the Empire want me captured?”   
  
(Y/N) chooses to ignore his inner conflict, “The reason your name is now known throughout the galaxy: you blew up the Death Star.”   
  
Skywalker looks like something specific is on his mind when he asks, “Is that all?”   
  
“I don’t know,” (Y/N) shrugs, “I don’t ask questions.”   
  
“You would do something like that without knowing why?”   
  
(Y/N)’s eyes narrow a fraction, “I don’t question my Masters, I do what I’m told.”   
  
“Why do you call them that?”   
  
“It’s what they are.”   
  
“You don’t look like a slave.”   
  
(Y/N) leans her head back, “See this on my neck? I don’t wear it because it looks pretty.”   
  
Around her neck rests two thin gold bars, linked by four evenly spaced small, vertical bars.    
  
Her neck straightens, “It’s a collar. All the Shadows wear one.”   
  
“A collar?” Skywalker repeats in surprise.    
  
“Yes,” (Y/N) says, “Just because I’m not on the end of a chain doesn’t mean I’m not owned,” annoyance coloring her voice. Chirrut’s words ring in her ears _You’ve never done a thing in your whole life of your own free will_. The yellow of Luke’s hair and the blue of his jacket begin to bleed out and he returns to a more grayscale coloring.   
  
“But I-“   
  
“I take it you don’t know much about the League of Shadows,” (Y/N) interrupts him sharply as her temper boils over, “because if you knew a damn thing about the League and what I’ve been through, you’d know I wouldn’t have done any of it if I wasn’t forced to. Maybe you should have looked into that before coming here and drawing conclusions.”   
  
Skywalker steps back with a frightened look on his face, “I’m sorry,” and scurries away.    
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it wasn’t clear, Luke was using the Force to figure out (Y/N)’s movements.
> 
> See you next week!


	3. Chapter 3

The next day was far more boring. There was nothing to do in her empty room and (Y/N) had no visitors beyond the nameless rebel who brought her meals. And he was boring and grey, and refused to answer her when she addresses him, so he might as well not even be there.    
  
Since (Y/N) was young, she wasn’t sure what age exactly since it all tended to blend together, she had seen things twice. It was as if something in her brain was cracked like a mirror, making her vision double. On one level, (Y/N) saw things as she imagined everyone else did: in color. On the other, however, everything was in a greyscale. People, animals, buildings, everything. They appeared a monotonous grey unless given a reason to have color.    
  
Everything (Y/N) observed would be subconsciously evaluated on potential threat and value to her. What exactly this criteria for this was, (Y/N) couldn’t keep track of because it was so extensive and ever changing. The majority of people she came across were almost entirely grey. They still had a hint of color like a red patch on their shirt or some brown in their hair, because even a complete idiot or bystander could become a problem. Dead bodies had an ugly, dense black to them, as they could be a tripping hazard, still carry weapons, or could warrant retaliation. Animals had color because they were unpredictable. Weapons had color because they were always dangerous, no matter who wielded them. And the colors were always dull, muddied by grey, and blurred into their surroundings.    
  
Her fellow Shadows were full of color. They were threats to her safety, though unlikely to do anything, as well as vital to the success of missions. Their colors swirled around within their bodies and clothing, occasionally bleeding into areas they didn’t belong and even the air around them. The Shadows are the only ones that ever come close to normal coloration. The only person who looks the same in both her visions was herself. (Y/N) could look in the mirror and see only one overlapping image, two subparts indistinguishable.    
  
Her Masters did have complete color, not a speck of grey, because of the control over her and her life they had. But their colors were too bright, edges too sharp. It actually hurt (Y/N)’s eyes to look at them for too long, like she was staring directly at the sun instead of a person.    
  
People could gain and lose color depending on their actions, like Skywalker had. (Y/N) had believed he was of great value given how he had been her mission, but his naivete made (Y/N) believe she might have overestimated him.    
  
She sighs quietly as she slips her food tray through the slot. (Y/N) would have to wait a while longer to see just who Luke Skywalker was, though she didn’t think she’d have to wait too long. 

The corner of her mouth ticks up. something told (Y/N) the young hero would be returning to her cell soon. 

***

(Y/N) is lying on her side when Skywalker returns.

She walks over to the door, lying, “I didn’t think you’d come back.”   
  
Skywalker glances down at his feet before looking back up. His face screams how nervous he is. (Y/N) says nothing, letting him suffer. Skywalker finally opens his mouth, “I had a sheltered life growing up, but it doesn’t excuse...I talked to Han about the League. I’m sorry I came to you uninformed and made assumptions.”   
  
(Y/N) nods and relaxes her posture, leaning her forearms against the concrete edges around the glass door. She watches closely as a touch of color returns to Skywalker. It amuses (Y/N) how she seems more at ease than him. There's a thick panel of glass separating them, with the lock on his side, and he's free to leave whenever he wants. Yet he’s the one on edge. She changes the subject, content to move on, “Do you still want to ask me your question?”   
  
Skywalker frowns, cocking his head, “What do you mean?”   
  
“You wanted to ask me something the other day, but stopped yourself.”   
  
“How did-“   
  
“I’m alive because of how well I read people. Let me give you some advice: don’t underestimate anyone,” (Y/N) smirks, “cause there’s nothing people love more than proving others wrong.”   
  
Skywalker smiles tentatively, “I wanted to ask why you stopped.”   
  
(Y/N) sighs, looking away, “You’re young, too young to be tossed to the Empire.”   
  
“How old are you?”   
  
“Eighteen,” (Y/N) responds. She’s pretty sure about that. There’s a slight chance she's nineteen. Very slight.    
  
Skywalker sputters in protest, “I’m older than you!”   
  
“The amount of years we’ve been in this galaxy isn’t the only way to judge how old someone is,” (Y/N) looks him up and down, “You’re older than me, but not by much. You’re what, twenty? I’ve never seen or heard your name before the destruction of the Death Star, which means you joined the Rebellion not soon before the Battle of Yavin...so you weren’t in any real action before nineteen. I, on the other hand, was sent on missions to kill people when I was five. So you’re older than me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t consider you young.”   
  
Skywalker’s face is a mix of impressed and horrified, “That’s really accurate...you were killing people when you were five?”   
  
“I killed before that, but purely for training purposes. But that’s why I didn’t want to turn you over to the Empire, I’d be no better than my Masters.”   
  
“When did you-when were you taken into the League?”   
  
“When I was a baby, I imagine,” (Y/N) shrugs, “I have no memory of being taken into their possession.”   
  
“So you don’t know who your parents are?”   
  
“No and I don’t care to.”   
  
Skywalker looks surprised, “You don’t?”   
  
“No. Why would I? They didn’t care about me as a baby, why would they care about me know? You seem surprised, like you are in a similar situation...do you know your parents?”   
  
Skywalker shakes his head, “I was raised by my uncle and aunt. My father was a Jedi and died in the Clone Wars.”   
  
(Y/N) nods appraisingly, “Jedi? That’s impressive.”  


***  


“So what side are you on?”   
  
“What do you mean?”   
  
“You took a job for the Empire, but now you’re willing to work for the Rebellion,” Luke explains.    
  
“Oh,” (Y/N) shifts on the thin pillow she was using as a cushion, “The side the money’s on.”   
  
Luke sits with crossed legs on the other side of the glass door, “Really?”   
  
“Yes. I told you before that I don’t ask questions. My Masters point me in a direction and I go.”   
  
Luke tilts his head like a bird, “What if you could decide?”   
  
(Y/N) shakes her head, “That’s not in the cards, so why bother?”   
  
“You decided not to capture me,” Luke argues.    
  
(Y/N) nods, conceding the point, “But I’m working to fix that.”   
  
“How?”   
  
“Why am I sitting here in my ‘room’, which is really more of a cell-“   
  
“It’s not a cell.”   
  
“Rooms don’t lock from the outside, and it’s rude to interrupt,” Luke smiles tentatively at her mildly teasing tone, “Why am I sitting in my cell, instead of out in the galaxy? I’m trying to work with the Rebellion. By renting myself to them, I will make back the money lost by not capturing you.”   
  
“You shouldn’t talk that way about yourself,” Luke says casually.    
  
(Y/N) frowns, thinking over her words to see where he had issue, “What?”   
  
“You said you ‘rent’ yourself, as if you’re a piece of property.”   
  
“Well I am,” (Y/N) explains flatly, “We’ve been over this.”   
  
“I know,” Luke answers, almost pouting, “It doesn’t mean I have to like it.”   
  
(Y/N) says nothing.    
  
“If you’re trying to make up the money, why are you offering your services at a ‘significant discount’?”   
  
(Y/N) brushes nothing off her pant leg, “You.”   
  
“Me?” Luke asks incredulously.    
  
“Yes, I’m trying to repay my debt to you.”   
  
“But I didn’t do anything?”   
  
“No, but I did. Your head injury.”   
  
Luke touches the back of his head, “It wasn’t that big of a deal.”   
  
“I know, but humor me. I’ve done a lot of fucked up shit in my life and for once I’m trying to make up for it.”   
  
“Commander Skywalker?” Oops, looks like Luke stayed longer than usual. Normally he’s gone to get lunch himself when (Y/N) gets hers. He doesn’t visit her every day, obviously, about three times a week and only for a couple hours. But it’s the highlight of her week, otherwise she’s just waiting for meals and when she gets to shower, which is no picnic in chains.    
  
Luke looks over, “Hey, Miro.”   
  
Miro. So that’s the name of the guy who brings (Y/N)’s meals. He never answered her when she asked before. (Y/N) smiles, knowing she can bother him by name now.    
  
Miro lifts the small slot, slipping her tray through it, “I’ll be back soon,” and walks away.    
  
(Y/N) pulls it to her and peers down in curiosity. Same as always: unidentifiable soupy something. She lifts a spoonful, letting it sludge out back into the bowl. (Y/N) sighs quietly and takes a bite. Her nose wrinkles in displeasure. Tepid, but better than yesterday. She lifts the bowl itself and drinks the small serving in one. She grabs the portion of bread, eating it quickly, before drinking the cup of water. Placing the tray by the slot for when Miro comes back, she refocuses her attention to Luke, who is staring at her with a strange look.    
  
(Y/N) shifts uncomfortably under the attention, “So what were we talking about? Or do you have to go?”   
  
Luke blinks, “I can stay a little longer. I was asking about your discount.”   
  
“Oh, right. Well I can’t exactly make it up to you directly, so by working at a discount, I help the Rebellion which indirectly helps you. And in the end, I’ll still have made enough money.”   
  
“I still don’t understand why you owe me anything.”   
  
“Well you don’t have to.”

***  


“I brought you some stuff.”   
  
“Contraband?” (Y/N)’s smile is sharp, “I’m proving to be quite the bad influence on you.”   
  
Luke opens the slot and slides her a large portion of bread and a cup of water. He holds up the canteen in his hand, “I have more water if that’s not enough.”   
  
“Thank you.” (Y/N) just barely keeps the surprise from her voice. She’s never had someone do something like this for her.    
  
“Could you help me with something?”   
  
(Y/N) raises an eyebrow, glancing around, “I can’t do much from here, but I’ll give it a go.”   
  
“Okay, great,” Luke sits down and pulls out a deck of cards, “So Han loves Sabacc cause he won the Falcon in a game.”   
  
“That’s his ship right?”   
  
“Yeah,” Luke smiles happily at her remembering such a trivial fact as his friend’s ship’s name.    
  
“Continue,“ she prompts.    
  
“Right, so he loves it and wants to play all the time. The problem is he’s a sore winner.”   
  
“And I take it he wins every time?”   
  
“Yeah,” he says sheepishly, “So could you, you know...”   
  
“Of course. I’ve played before, I’ll help you.”   
  
Luke shuffles the deck and places the allotted amount near her slot.    
  
“You sure I can have these?” (Y/N) asks sarcastically.    
  
“I don’t think you can break out or kill anyone with some paper cards, so I’m sure it’s okay.”   
  
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” (Y/N) grins evilly and picks up the cards.    
  
Luke glances up at her suspiciously.    
  
“I’m kidding. What are we betting with? I don’t have money.”   
  
“Oh,” Luke reaches into his pocket, “I thought of that. I made fake money.”   
  
He counts out the money and places half on the slot.    
  
They play a few rounds and, as she collects a huge part of his money, (Y/N) offers, “You need to work on your Sabacc face. You’re as easy to read as a book, that’s why Han beats you all the time.”   
  
“Sabacc face?”   
  
“Yeah like a blank face, where you can’t tell if the cards are good or bad. It’s obvious when I look at you, but I bet you’re in the dark about my cards.”   
  
“I am...but you make faces sometimes.”   
  
(Y/N) grins, passing her cards back through the slot, “It’s either me trying to throw you off or me reacting to what I see on your face.”   
  
Luke makes an affronted noise and shuffles the cards again.  


***  


“What do you want?”   
  
(Y/N) glances up from her cards, popping one of the berries Luke brought into her mouth, “A green sylop, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. Especially because you have one right now.”

She pins him in place with nothing but her eyes, trying to read his reaction. Luke meets her gaze steadily, eyes narrow. (Y/N)’s lips quirk against her will.    
  
Luke breaks first, snorting, and shakes his head, “No. I mean in life.”   
  
(Y/N) has a snarky answer on the tip of her tongue, but instead she finds herself saying, “Purpose.”   
  
Luke nods and puts his cards down. (Y/N) smiles and puts down her own. Luke won. His smile fills his whole face as he collects her money and cards through the slot.    
  
“I’ll look into that.”   
  
(Y/N) hums in question.    
  
Luke doesn’t answer, just shuffles the cards.  


***  


“(Y/N)!”   
  
(Y/N) head flies up from her pillow, hand tightening on the knife she doesn’t have. Its absence shocks her back into reality. She’s at the rebel base.    
  
She wipes her eyes, “Luke? It’s the middle of the night.”   
  
Luke smiles at her, “We’re going on a mission and you’ve been approved to go with us.”   
  
(Y/N) jumps up from the bed, “I’m up.”   
  
She walks over to the door with a pep in her step that she loses once spotting another person: Leia Organa.    
  
“Princess, to what do I owe the pleasure?”   
  
“I’m coming on behalf of the Council to see how you perform,” Leia answers plainly.    
  
“You won’t be disappointed,” (Y/N) slips her hands through the slot to have the cuffs put back on. She’d like to protest them, but doesn’t want to lose her chance to prove her value.    
  
The glass door opens with a hiss.    
  
(Y/N) blows a kiss at the hidden camera, no longer needing to appear ignorant. Regardless of the Rebellion’s decision, she will not be returning to this room.    
  
(Y/N) exits the cell with a smile, “So what’s the mission?”   
  
“There’s an Imperial facility on a somewhat local planet that our spies say just received a huge shipment of fuel,” Luke supplies.    
  
“And you want me to go in and clear the way?”   
  
“Ideally,” Leia answers.   
  
(Y/N) is led to a beat up Corellian freighter with a Wookiee walking on top of it.    
  
“This is what we’re taking?”   
  
“Yeah,” a dark haired man says as he approaches them, “You got a problem with that?”   
  
“No,” (Y/N) elaborates, “Corellians are fast, she should do just fine.”   
  
“(Y/N), this is Han,” Luke says. Han’s body is immediately flooded with color.    
  
“Ah,” (Y/N) glances at the ship again, “So this is the Falcon?”   
  
“Yup, this is my girl. And that’s Chewie,” Han jerks his thumb in the direction of the Wookiee, “my copilot.”   
  
Han looks (Y/N) up and down, “So you’re the girl who tried to kidnap Luke?”   
  
“Yes.”   
  
He looks between Luke and her, “Wait, are you the one who taught Luke how to play Sabacc?”   
  
(Y/N) answers “Yes” at the same time Luke answers “No”.

Han snaps his fingers at Luke, “Ha! I knew it! I knew you didn’t just become an expert over night.”   
  
Luke looks back at him sheepishly.    
  
“Do you know he almost won the Falcon from me the other day?”   
  
(Y/N) smirks, “Glad to know my teaching paid off.”   
  
“Are we done here?” Leia says, eyes flickering between Han and (Y/N) in what (Y/N) immediately identifies as jealousy, “We have to leave now if we want to arrive on time.”   
  
Han gestures broadly to the ramp of the ship, “After you, your worship.”   
  
Leia marches past him, shoulder knocking with his and boards the Falcon without a word.    
  
Han watches her until she disappears from sight. He glances back to Luke, “Come on, kid, the others are already on board,” before heading for the ramp himself.    
  
“So who exactly is coming?” (Y/N) asks.    
  
“Uh, well you and me, Leia, Han, Chewie, and the guys. I’ll introduce you to them officially on the way.”   
  
“Okay.”   
  
The pair walk up the ramp as the engines start.  


***  


“Uncuff me.”   
  
“No. We can do that when we reach the facility.”   
  
(Y/N) scowls. Hobbie, she now knew his name since Luke had properly introduced her to everyone in his squad, had been one of the more vocal rebels when she had been captured. He was the one who tried to hit her with the blaster in the alley and whose nose she had broken in response. He had been very clear about distrusting her when she had arrived at the rebel base, and this distrust hadn’t faded. And while (Y/N) didn’t particularly care what his opinion of her was, she didn’t have time for it.    
  
“No. You’ll do it now.”   
  
“What are you arguing about?” Leia asks impatiently.    
  
“She wants to be uncuffed now,” Hobbie supplies, “I say we do it at the facility.”   
  
“I have to be uncuffed now,” (Y/N) explains stiffly, “How do you think it would go over if someone saw a group of people with one in chains? Not to mention if the Imperials spot us and attack? I have no way to defend myself like this. I need to be uncuffed and given my weapons. I’m here trying to prove myself to the Rebellion. Why would I turn on you, now, especially in an Imperial infested area, an organization I’ve already shown unwillingness to work with?”   
  
“Uncuff her,” Leia says dismissively and walks away, clearly done with the conversation.    
  
(Y/N) smirks as the cuffs are removed. She turns on her heel and exits the Falcon.    
  
Luke and the guys, minus Hobbie, stand at the bottom of the ramp.    
  
(Y/N) smiles when she sees they have a bag of her weapons. Her boots, sans the knives she usually has hidden in them, are put on first. She grabs a holster and slips her favorite knife into its slot on her belt at the base of her spine. (Y/N) is clipping a few detachable pieces of her blaster to her belt when Dak asks, “Why are you smiling? Are you that excited to kill people?”   
  
(Y/N) glances up at his disgusted face, “No. I’m just happy to be outside in some fresh air.”   
  
She offers the still mostly full bag back to Wedge, who asks, “Is that all you need? One gun and one knife?”   
  
(Y/N) nods with a smirk, “Yeah, it will make it interesting.”   
  
“If you say so.”   
  
Leia takes the lead, “Alright, the facility is this way. Let’s go.”   
  
The group makes their way down the street. It’s the middle of the night on this planet, so most of the civilians are asleep and anyone who isn’t is at one of the bars, so no one sees them. (Y/N)’s eye is drawn to a lone watchtower that seems to be their destination.    
  
They slow to an eventual stop in front of the Imperial facility. A fence surrounds the building with an opening at the front, between the two watchtowers that stand at different heights.    
  
Everyone looks at (Y/N) expectantly, while she looks to Leia, “Does the Rebellion want prisoners?”   
  
“No. There’s no one worth the hassle in there.”   
  
“Okay,” (Y/N) pulls out her blaster and one of the pieces from her belt.    
  
“What are you doing?” Wedge asks curiously.    
  
(Y/N) glances at the higher of the two towers, “I have to take that one out first, it’s meant for ship and distant spotting. And it’s too high to scale without the other one, meant for close spotting, seeing me.”   
  
She clicks another piece onto the blaster. (Y/N) watches the two figures at the top of the tower, finger tense on the trigger, waiting for them to get into good position.    
  
“What are you waiting for?” Zev asks impatiently.    
  
When the two are clearly silhouetted, she fires twice and they drop, “That. I needed clear shots to be sure it would be fatal.”   
  
(Y/N) immediately breaks down the blaster to its usual style.    
  
“Alright,” she says with a smile, “Stay here. When the door opens, come on in.”   
  
“Quit smiling. You aren’t supposed to be enjoying this. You’re about to go kill people.”   
  
(Y/N) sends Hobbie a sharp look, “I don’t enjoy killing, I enjoy being good at things. The fact that I’m good at killing is mere coincidence.”   
  
She walks to the opening of the fence before he can reply. (Y/N) looks up at the shorter watchtower, which is less than three stories tall, so she can see the two people easily. When they turn away, she sprints to the base of the tower. (Y/N) attaches the grappling hook to the blaster and fires at the small ledge below the window above her. The wire goes taught and starts to slowly lift her.   
  
(Y/N) braces her feet on the wall and her fingers grip the ledge. She pulls herself up onto the small ledge, grabbing the roof. Bracing herself, (Y/N) kicks the glass panel with her heavy boot. It shatters and (Y/N) jumps through. She pulls out her knife, slicing the throat of the man closer to her and chucks it at the other man headed for the console. It imbeds itself into the man’s back and he drops with a yell of pain. (Y/N) walks to him, removing the knife and flipping the man over to confirm he’s dead. She takes a moment to turn off the security monitors and then walks back to the broken window and tumbles out, grabbing the ledge as she twists in the air. She frees the grappling hook and places her blaster back in its holster. Feet firmly back on the wall, (Y/N) begins to climb down. A several feet from the ground, she lets go, pushing off the wall into a flip that ends with her silently landing back on the grass.    
  
No longer needing discretion for the moment, she walks opening to the front door of the facility. The front door is actually next to the gigantic hangar door, which provides easy access to the supplies inside. Ignoring the looming door, (Y/N) presses the button by the smaller door and it opens once she swipes the card she stole from the guard in the tower.    
  
She steps inside and the door shuts behind her.    
  
(Y/N) walks carefully down the halls, slipping from shadow to shadow, as she was trained to. She works quickly and robotically, stabbing and shooting anyone in her path. None of them make a sound, as they never see her coming. She modified her blaster years ago to be almost completely silent, so people just a few feet from (Y/N) don’t notice her.    
  
Some amount of minutes later, (Y/N) enters the control room. Firing with the precision beaten into her from a young age, (Y/N) kills every officer in the room before they can even lift their own weapons or call for help. Not that the latter would do anything, seeing as anyone who would come to their aid is already dead.    
  
(Y/N) walks over to a control panel on the left, pressing the large button. The screen responds, telling her the hangar door is now open. She walks over, pushing another button to open all doors within the facility and another to turn the hangar lights on.    
  
She exits the control room swiftly and heads for the hangar. About halfway there, footsteps sound from around a corner ahead. (Y/N) continues to walk confidently, knowing it’s the rebels. She turns the corner and is greeted by Luke and Dak. She immediately spots the firm grip Dak has on his blaster and assures him, “I got them all.”   
  
He doesn’t seem comforted by her words, instead his face becomes more tense as he looks at her.    
  
(Y/N) decides to move on and asks Luke, “Shall we?”   
  
The three of them walk down to the hangar, passing several dead bodies surrounded by pools of their own blood. The red splashes beyond the puddles in (Y/N)’s eye, even as it quickly turns to the ugly black of death. She walks past them without hesitation or a second glance, but she can hear Dak shudder a few times. No one says anything.    
  
They reach the hangar where the fuel is already being loaded into the Falcon.    
  
(Y/N) chooses to ignore the severe expressions on some of the guys, knowing not everyone has the stomach for what she does, and starts to help load the fuel cells.  


***  


(Y/N) stands, instead of sitting like last time, before the leaders of the Rebellion. Her hands rest in front of her in cuffs again. Leia is standing to the side. Four rebels she doesn’t know are there too, blasters ready if (Y/N) makes one false move.    
  
(Y/N) sighs in mild frustration and breaks the silence that had developed, “So? Have I proven myself?”   
  
“Yes,” the woman in white says, “you have.”   
  
“And are you interested in my services?”   
  
“We are not,” replies a man.    
  
(Y/N)’s eyes dart across the people, taking in their expressions. A handful of the leaders clearly don’t approve of the decision that was made, including the woman in white, a Mon Calamari, and Leia, though (Y/N) isn’t sure if her vote actually counts.    
  
“Shame,” (Y/N) says, genuinely disappointed, and lifts her hands, “Well...I won’t be needing these anymore.”   
  
In her head, (Y/N) already knows how this will go down before anyone responds.    
  
When nobody moves, she lowers her hands, asking with mock concern, “Is there a problem?”   
  
“Yes, Miss (Y/L/N), there is,” a different Mon Calamari says.    
  
“Elaborate.”   
  
“You’ve proven yourself capable of tracking our people down and you’ve proven yourself more than capable of killing large amounts of people with ease. We have no way of knowing you won’t decide to capture Commander Skywalker after all. And we have no way of knowing you won’t provide the information you’ve gained about the Rebellion to our enemies or come back to kill us.”   
  
“You had a way to guarantee that wouldn’t happen,” (Y/N) points out, “but you turned down my generous offer.”   
  
“Still. We can’t allow you to leave the base.”   
  
(Y/N)’s smile is sickly sweet, “Who said anything about allowing?”   
  
“What?”   
  
(Y/N)’s muscles tense at the nearly silent click, “Who said you could stop me from leaving?”   
  
Not allowing anyone to answer, (Y/N) lets the unlocked cuffs drop from her wrists. She’s already halfway to the door when they hit the ground and she slams the button as she exits, shutting the door behind her.    
  
(Y/N) jumps up knocking down the grate to the vent above and then takes off down the hall in the opposite direction. She’s quickly far from the control room, dashing through various halls. She stops briefly to grab a discarded blaster and is quickly running again.    
  
She enters a large docking bay and sprints across it. (Y/N) glances at the Falcon, smirking at the look that would be on Han’s face if she dared touch his baby.    
  
(Y/N) ducks under the arms of the x-wing fighters and approaches the small, nondescript ship she wanted.    
  
Suddenly from the direction of the Falcon, appears Luke. He quickly moves to stand at the base of the ramp.    
  
(Y/N) lifts her blaster as she slows, “Move.”   
  
“(Y/N)-“   
  
“I don’t want to shoot you, Luke, but I will.”   
  
“Why?”   
  
(Y/N) sneers, “I will not spend the rest of my days rotting in a cell. And there’s nothing for me here.”   
  
“What if there was?”   
  
“I have no time for riddles,” she answers snidely, “The Rebellion has made it clear they aren’t interested.”   
  
“I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about me.”   
  
(Y/N) tightens her grip on the blaster, finger stroking the trigger, “Explain. Quickly.”   
  
Luke steps forward, “You don’t want to go back to the League. You said you couldn’t make the choice between Empire and Alliance, but it’s clear what it would be if you could.”   
  
“Is it?” (Y/N) glances quickly over her shoulder and sees no one. But she’s running out of time. They’ll soon realize she isn’t in the vents. And there are only so many docking bays here, which they know is her ultimate goal.    
  
“Yes, you said the Empire was like your Masters at the League,” Luke says quickly, “And you were more than willing to work for an extended time for the Rebellion. The Council couldn’t give you the purpose you sought in life, but maybe I can.”   
  
(Y/N)’s ears ring as she says, “I’m listening, but not hearing much.”   
  
Luke raises his hands, “You said you felt like you owed me. So repay your debt to me directly.”   
  
(Y/N) purses her lips, in thought. Luke’s colors brighten as she recognizes his cleverness. She needs to make a decision. Now.    
  
She glances behind her before looking back to Luke. (Y/N) lowers her blaster and lifts her other hand with three fingers raised, “Three tasks, Luke Skywalker. Name any three things you want from me and, if they are within my abilities, I will do them. Then my debt to you will be paid.”   
  
“There’s something outside of your abilities?” Luke asks in a mildly teasing tone.    
  
“Yes and don’t be smart,” she snaps, “Don’t send me to kill Vader or the Emperor. I can’t take down Force users that strong.”   
  
“Deal.”   
  
“I won’t reveal information about the Rebellion or hurt any of its members during or after my service to you. That’s a freebie, not one of the three tasks. In return, you will ensure I am free to leave when my debt is repaid.”   
  
“Of course.”   
  
“If any of them try to capture or kill me, that clause is void.”   
  
“No. Don’t reveal information,” Luke counters, “If they try anything...you can do what you have to in order to escape, but nothing more. But they won’t. I promise.”   
  
(Y/N) gives Luke a once over, corner of her mouth ticking up, “Alright, Luke, we have a deal.”   
  
She approaches him and offers her hand. Luke takes it without hesitation and they shake.    
  
“There!” Someone behind her yells, “Freeze!”   
  
(Y/N) moves to stand behind Luke, “Time to uphold your side of the bargain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully the whole “color vision” thing makes sense now ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	4. Chapter 4

The leaders of the Rebellion had been far from pleased about how the situation had developed. However, (Y/N) didn’t give a damn about them and their opinions anymore, so it didn’t bother her. They had lost virtually all color after refusing her services. While they still had the ability to affect how pleasant her time on the base was, the power they held over her person was all but extinct.  
  
And Luke had ultimately gotten his way, though (Y/N) wasn’t sure exactly why he wanted her to stay, so he didn’t care about their opinions either.  
  
After they were dismissed, or (Y/N) left when she wanted and waited outside the room for Luke to be dismissed, he had taken her to the Falcon and returned her weapons. (Y/N) had strapped a few things on, offering choice words about some of the Alliance leaders, while Luke had fought back laughter at her unique phrasing and tried to come to their defense.  
  
Han had watched the exchange, not hiding his laughter at all, and offered to play some Sabacc.  
  
And thus (Y/N)’s time on the rebel base, as a free woman, began.  
  
Luke got her an actual room with a real bathroom not too far from his own, which was nice. As much as she wanted to trust Luke’s word that the Rebellion wouldn’t try anything, she was only alive because of being overly paranoid. She made sure to keep weapons on her at all times. It was obvious she wasn’t really wanted. 

Everything (Y/N) had here was thanks to Luke or Han. The rebels were unwilling to part with any of their scarce supplies. She had no ship, wasn’t allowed access to tool or weapon storage. They weren’t inhumane, of course, allowing her a room and meals, but not much else. 

Luke’s friends, the Rogue Squadron, didn’t trust her for the most part. Wedge and Zev were fairly friendly to her, but the others had been sure to spread word of (Y/N) throughout the base. As a result, almost no one spoke to her. (Y/N) didn’t really care, she had lived an isolated life, and their judgmental, suspicious, and fearful looks were nothing new. Not many knew her name, (Y/N) had heard a number of nicknames used in reference to her, the most common being ‘The Shadow Girl’ and ‘Luke’s Shadow’. Again, it didn’t bother her, and they weren’t wrong either.  
  
(Y/N) spent the majority of her day attached to Luke’s hip or at least in the same room as him. Luke didn’t mind. They could easily spend the day in comfortable silence or in conversation and games of Sabacc. (Y/N) made sure not to monopolize his time, because she knew her presence was off-putting to others. Not that she did anything to try and change that though. 

She was sure to leave Luke alone for most of his meals and find other ways to fill some of the days so he could eat or hang out with the other rebels. Just because she was isolated on the base, didn’t mean Luke needed to be too.  
  
However, (Y/N) had quickly realized there wasn’t much to do while away from Luke. At least when she was with him, he had a schedule or tasks to do that (Y/N) would tag along for. And (Y/N) wasn’t about to offer assistance to the Rebellion for free. So she spent most of her time away from Luke on the Falcon.  
  
Han and Chewie were nice to her immediately, as if all they needed was Luke’s word. Chewie liked to play Dejarik, and while her lack of fear of him had originally surprised the Wookiee, he enjoyed playing with her. Han, of course, loved Sabacc. And he had no issue with (Y/N) working on the ship, especially because she knew what she was doing. Han had been the source Luke had gone to for information about the League, so he was well aware of her range of skills. It was a secretive organization, so obviously he didn’t know everything, but he knew she was talented nonetheless. He had been down below, tinkering on the engine of the Falcon one day, while (Y/N) played on the holopad she had stolen from Luke. Han had called out, asking for a specific tool from the box he had left on the other side of the room. (Y/N) had glanced up in confusion, because Chewie has left a long time ago. He hadn’t announced his departure, but he was a Wookiee and Han was under the floor, there was no way the man hadn’t heard him walk away.  
  
(Y/N) had shrugged to herself and went to get the tool herself. She had knelt down by the opening and placed in it his open hand. Han had thanked her without hesitation or question about Chewie. After that, (Y/N) had slowly begun to get involved in the Falcon’s seemingly endless problems. First, handing off tools and occasionally offering a suggestion. Then she started doing work herself. One random day, (Y/N) had gone onto the top of the Falcon along with Han and Chewie and begun working at one of the exposed panels, without a blink from either of them. That confirmed her belief that they were completely fine with her.  
  
Luke had come looking for her about something, having caught onto her budding friendships with Han and Chewie, but hadn’t thought to look at the top. He had gone up the ramp and Han had chuckled when the sound of his voice calling for her could be heard.  
  
(Y/N) had quickly scaled the side of the Falcon to be above the ramp. When Luke had started to march down it with a huff, (Y/N) popped her head down past the ship with a “You called?”. Luke had actually fallen over in surprise, a move that had earned Han’s undying respect for her.  
  
Leia seemed to have no issue with her presence either, proving (Y/N)’s earlier thought that the Princess had wanted her to work for the Rebellion. 

There was a learning curve, of course. Leia expected (Y/N) to do things for the Rebellion despite them not being in an arrangement and (Y/N)’s devil-may-care style of refusal had rubbed her wrong. Leia had tried to appeal to (Y/N)’s humanity and (Y/N) found no difficulty in telling the Princess that she didn’t have it. 

There had been an argument between them, very early into (Y/N)’s service to Luke, where Leia had raised her voice, telling (Y/N) she was the type of person to blame for the Empire’s rise to power and it’s actions. The Princess had finished by telling (Y/N) that she was “no better than her Masters,” before storming away.  
  
(Y/N) had bitten her tongue, to the point that it bled, in an effort not to retaliate with harsher words. The venom eating away at her stomach had been mildly soothed by Luke’s appreciative and apologetic look that he had sent her before going after Leia. Later that day, Luke had apologized to (Y/N), insisting that Leia hadn’t meant it. (Y/N) had rolled her eyes “Yes she did” and felt so very old and tired in that moment. Leia had meant every word. Was she right? Luke had sighed in response and conceded, before assuring her that he didn’t feel that way. The corner of (Y/N)’s mouth had ticked up, the first smile since Leia’s attack, and told Luke simply “I know,” because she knew he didn’t.  
  
While the Princess had never apologized herself, and (Y/N) had never expected her to, she never went that far again. (Y/N) knew it was more for Luke’s sake than (Y/N)’s, but she didn’t mind. (Y/N) had offered no apology or change of heart in return. The two women would still occasionally argue, Leia’s temper and dedication to the Rebellion made it unavoidable, but (Y/N) never did more than offer neutered responses. She never attacked Leia viciously, steered clear of topics that would hurt or further aggravate the Princess, and kept a firm grip on her own anger. 

For the most part, though, (Y/N) and Leia got along swimmingly. Leia had no issue with (Y/N)’s methods or deadliness, it was those very skills that made them fight. It wasn’t in the Princess’ nature to be intimidated and so she wasn’t. (Y/N) had great respect for Leia, which was evident in how much color she had. The Princess was a warrior, capable of holding her own, and was a strong leader and voice in the Rebellion. She was close to Shadow levels of coloring, with Luke and Han not far behind. 

Luke’s two droids, C-3PO and R2-D2, seemed to like her too. 3PO was nothing but respectful to her, as he was to everyone. He was incredibly anxious for a droid, yet seemed unafraid of her. (Y/N) figured he believed she wouldn’t attack him either because he was respectful and didn't antagonize her or because he was Luke’s droid. And (Y/N) gave him no reason to be fearful of her, never acting like he was a bother and even engaging in occasional conversation. The protocol droid could be rather snarky or have an odd sense of humor when he wanted. (Y/N) believed it came from years spent at R2’s side. The little astrodroid was a spitfire and daredevil, something that genuinely amused (Y/N). He used his deceptively innocent stature and squeaky, almost cute voice to his advantage all the time. R2 was fearless about everything, and he made no exception for (Y/N), exchanging war stories with her all the time.  
  
So while (Y/N) wasn’t in the good graces of most of the Rebellion, she had somehow found a small group that liked her for some reason.

***

(Y/N) glances at the clock. Luke should be finishing up a meeting with the Council right about now. It was the type of meeting (Y/N) never tagged along for because she didn’t want to test their patience. It didn’t matter that she didn’t go though, as nine times out of ten, Luke told her about it within the day. And the tenth time he’d tell her the next day.   
  
“Hey, (Y/N),” Luke announces his presence.  
  
“Luke,” (Y/N) looks up from the holopad, “How’d your meeting go?”  
  
“Fine, they...is that my holopad? The one I asked you about two days ago?”  
  
(Y/N) casually covers the holopad with her other hand, “Stay focused.”  
  
“Is that a yes?”  
  
“I was going to give it back,” (Y/N) replies unapologetically. 

Luke huffs but moves on, “I’m being sent on a solo mission.”

“What about?” (Y/N)’s attention is piqued.  
  
“We have spies placed throughout the galaxy. The one on Tatooine didn’t report in when they were scheduled to, so the Council wants me to go check in on them.”  
  
(Y/N) raises her eyebrow, “Impressive, Commander Skywalker.”  
  
“I have to go pack and then I’ll be on my way. I didn’t want you to worry when you didn’t see me for the next few days.”  
  
“I won’t worry.”  
  
“Okay,” Luke says awkwardly.  
  
“I’m going with you.”  
  
His brow furrows, “What?”  
  
“You think I’m going to let you go to Tatooine by yourself?”  
  
Luke frowns, “I’m more than capable of handling myself. I’m actually-“  
  
“Luke,” (Y/N) interrupts, “I have no doubt you can handle yourself,” which is only slightly a lie, “but I’m coming anyway.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“You’re my responsibility,” (Y/N) sits up, “As long as I’m in service to you, I will protect you.”  
  
Luke’s blue eyes widen slightly, “Really?”  
  
“Yes. So I’m coming with you.”  
  
He continues to look at her in shock.  
  
“Go pack,” (Y/N) waves dismissively, “And get a ship that fits both of us. I’m not squeezing into the cargo hold of your x-wing.”

***

(Y/N) had only been to Tatooine once before in her life, and very briefly, so she wasn’t familiar with the town they were now in. Anchorhead. Luke said it served as a connection to other large settlements like Mos Eisley, which (Y/N) was familiar with.  
  
She walks through the sandy streets with Luke, letting him take the lead. He’s the one with the intel on the rebel after all. They leave the more central, popularized area, heading for a secluded, back area. Luke points to a small building, “This is it.”  
  
(Y/N) grabs his wrist gently to stop him, “Luke.”  
  
He looks back at her grip on him and then up to her face, “What?”  
  
She shakes her head, “I have a bad feeling about this.”  
  
Luke leads her over to press against a wall, more hidden from the road but with the building still in sight. He says softly since they stand so close together, “Why?”  
  
(Y/N) shakes her head, feeling his pulse under her fingers, “I don’t know,” the building looks completely harmless, not a hair out of place, but still, “I just don’t like it.”  
  
She pulls out her blaster, “We should proceed with caution.”  
  
Luke grabs his own blaster, “Okay.”  
  
(Y/N) releases his wrist and walks over to the building. She glances in the window, not able to see much through it. It’s dark inside but she can’t see any signs of movement.  
  
Luke darts over to the door, rests a hand on the button to open the door, and looks at (Y/N) expectantly. She hurries to stand on the other side of the door, lifts her blaster, and nods. Luke hits the button and they both turn in, blasters ready. Luke doesn’t notice, but (Y/N)’s hand hovers just inches from his side, ready to pull him out of danger.  
  
(Y/N) steps into the building, hitting the lights, and scans with her sharp eyes.  
  
“Clear,” she says. (Y/N) walks over to the side table that stands by the couch. She wipes a lone finger through the layer of dust. Due to the sandy conditions, it was easy for objects to pick up a dusting quickly, but (Y/N) still didn’t like it. The table’s placement meant it was in heavy use, so for its surface to have done undisturbed long enough to gain this amount of particles...  
  
Luke returns from the room next to this one, “Clear.”  
  
“Check the bedroom.”  
  
(Y/N) walks into the kitchen and grimaces at what she finds. The dead rebel.  
  
Footsteps announce Luke’s approach, “The bedroom was-“ the sentence breaks off with a gasp.  
  
(Y/N) raises an arm to stop him, “Don’t.”  
  
She looks over at Luke to see the broken expression on his face.  
  
“He’s dead, Luke, has been for a while. There’s nothing you can do.”  
  
Luke nods as he looks down at the rebel.  
  
(Y/N) looks at the body clinically. His death was quick and professional. One shot to the chest, no sign of struggle, he didn’t even have the chance to pull his weapon. But the part that stands out even more is the Rebel’s slim stature, blonde hair, and lifeless blue eyes.  
  
Luke finally speaks, “We can’t leave him here.”  
  
“We can’t take him back, we’d stick out like a sore thumb.”  
  
“I know...but, (Y/N), we can’t just leave him like this.”  
  
“I know,” (Y/N) nods, resting her hand on Luke’s shoulder, “We’ll tell local authorities on our way out of town. They’ll handle him.”  
  
Luke sighs, “Okay.”  
  
“We need to take any rebel paraphernalia.”  
  
He nods, “I’ll look upstairs.”  
  
(Y/N) walks to the front door and waits.  
  
“Hey,” Luke says as he comes to her side, “I got everything.”  
  
“Then let’s go.”  
  
“Can we get something to eat?” Luke shakes his head, “I need to distract myself.”  
  
(Y/N)’s about to say no when her stomach growls quietly. She huffs, “Alright, but not too long.”  
  
Luke nods in agreement and the pair walks back to the center of the town.  
  
He points to the right, “How about there?”  
  
(Y/N) nods absently, not really looking, “Sure.”  
  
She reaches into a compartment on her belt, pulling out a small explosive. The little ball slips through her fingers, landing on the ground by the door. Luke leads her into the building, looking for somewhere to sit.  
  
“How about there?”  
  
“Sounds good.” They start to walk to an open table.  
  
“(Y/N)?”  
  
Both of them look to the left at the source of the voice.  
  
(Y/N) smiles falsely, “Eria,” reciprocating the hug. She stares blankly at the curly blonde hair that fills her vision.  
  
She pulls away, “Luke, this is Eria. We grew up together in the League. Eria, this is Luke.”  
  
“Nice to meet you,” Luke offers his hand and the two shake briefly.  
  
“Luke Skywalker?” Eria looks at (Y/N), “What are you doing here?”  
  
“Picking up supplies for the Rebellion, nothing fancy,” (Y/N) lies smoothly. She prays silently that Luke plays along.  
  
“Oh!” Eria exclaims, “How rude of me, I’m sure you didn’t come here to stand and talk. Come, sit with me, I’ll get you drinks.”  
  
“Of course, lead the way.”  
  
The three walk over to Eria’s table. Eria walks to the bar, leaving Luke and (Y/N) to sit. (Y/N) claims the seat on the left and gestures for Luke to sit on her right.  
  
“(Y/N), what-“  
  
(Y/N) shushes him immediately, “Just go with it,” and pulls her blaster from its holster to rest it on her lap.  
  
Luke looks down at it with raised eyebrows but stays silent.  
  
Eria sits down, placing two cups before them. She lifts her own, “To finding friends in the most unexpected places.”  
  
(Y/N) and Luke lift theirs and the three clink. (Y/N) brings the cup to her lips, pressing the detonator in her hidden hand.  
  
The explosion is loud, drawing Eria’s attention to the front door. (Y/N) drops the detonator, snatches Luke’s cup, drains it in one, and puts it back in Luke’s surprised hand. She gives him a hard look, hoping it conveys what she wants.  
  
By the time Eria looks back to them, (Y/N)’s taking a sip from her own cup as if nothing happened.  
  
Eria grins, “So, (Y/N), what are you doing with the Rebellion?”  
  
(Y/N) smiles sharply in response, “You know I can’t tell you anymore than you can tell me why you’re here on Tatooine.”  
  
She nudges Luke’s foot and takes a pointed drink from her cup. Luke does the same, even acting like the level of liquid was low and tipping it back further. (Y/N) very much wants to smile at his cleverness but doesn’t.  
  
Eria chuckles, “You were always a stickler for the rules.”  
  
“So you two know each other from the League?” Luke asks.  
  
“Yeah,” Eria smiles as she reminisces, “We‘re the same age, so we took a lot of the same classes together.”  
  
(Y/N) watches Eria’s eyes flicker over to Luke in veiled confusion. She can’t help but laugh as she takes another sip from her drink.  
  
Eria smiles, “What is it?”  
  
(Y/N) puts her cup down, “I just think it’s funny. You talk about the time we spent together in the League. Yet you forget that everything you went through, I went through tenfold.”  
  
She lifts her free hand to wipe the small trail of blood from the corner of her mouth and looks at it in amusement before asking, “Did you really think I was going to let him drink from a cup you gave him?”  
  
Eria’s eyes widen and her arm moves to grab a weapon. (Y/N) clicks her tongue, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”  
  
Eria freezes, eyes flickering to the table blocking the bottom halves of (Y/N) and Luke, as if she can see through it.  
  
(Y/N) nods and chuckles, tapping her temple, “Now you’re using your head. Yes, there’s a blaster pointed on you right now, has been since I triggered the explosion that made you look away. Don’t you remember the lesson to never take your eyes off your target?” she sighs in mock sympathy, “I guess not...one of the many reasons you never got your Red.”  
  
“(Y/N)-“  
  
“Now,” (Y/N) cuts off Eria, “You’re going to keep your hands where I can see them. And you’re going to stand up, nice and slow, and the three of us are going to have a little chat outside.”  
  
Eria stands slowly and silently.  
  
(Y/N) doesn’t even glance away from her as she says, “Come on, Luke, we’re leaving.”  
  
Eria starts for the door and (Y/N) and Luke follow close behind. (Y/N) tucks her blaster in her holster and glances at Luke. His blue eyes are nervous as they look at her. This is new territory to him and he’s totally reliant on (Y/N) to get them through it. (Y/N)’s never had responsibility over someone like this. She’d gone on group missions before, but it was with other Shadows, people like her. Trained for the situation. Luke wasn’t like that.  
  
She refocuses on Eria, but brushes Luke’s hand with hers in a way that is hopefully comforting.  
  
“To the left. That alley.”  
  
Eria complies and they follow her. Once there, Eria spins and swings a fist at (Y/N). (Y/N) catches it in her hand and twists sharply, breaking the bones in Eria’s forearm. She spits a curse but it falls on deaf ears and (Y/N) lifts her other hand to grab Eria’s shoulder. With a sharp movement, (Y/N) pops the bone from its socket, rendering the arm completely useless. She uses her foot to hook around Eria’s leg, knocking her to the ground.  
  
(Y/N) straddles her and pulls out her knife and drives it down to Eria’s face.  
  
“(Y/N)! Stop!”  
  
The point of (Y/N)’s knife is just an inch from Eria when it stops. She whips her head around to look at Luke, “Luke, she just tried to kill you.”  
  
“I know,” Luke shakes his head, “but don’t.”  
  
(Y/N) looks back down at Eria, sighs, and puts the knife away.  
  
“ _You always had a soft spot for pilots_.” 

Eria is referencing the brief schoolgirl crush (Y/N) had developed for the instructor who taught them how to fly. (Y/N) had thought he was cute with his grey-blue eyes and long, dark hair. It hadn’t lasted beyond a month because (Y/N) proved herself a better pilot than he was, which made him get nasty. He hadn’t spoken Huttesse so Eria and (Y/N) would talk about him in the language. Clearly Eria is trying to soften (Y/N) with the fond memory.  
  
“ _So it would seem. But I’d be careful with what you say next, because this one?_ ” (Y/N) points to Luke, “ _He’s special. You see, he speaks Huttese._ ”  
  
(Y/N) pulls out her blaster, driving home the idea that she will not be softened by the stupid memory.  
  
“ _Why did you kill the rebel?_ ” (Y/N) asks in Rodian, already knowing the answer, but wanting to hear Eria say it.  
  
Eria’s eyes flicker to Luke in a brief, yet telling, way.  
  
“ _Are you really that stupid? You thought the Rebellion would put its poster boy on some rinky dink desert planet to monitor a gangster? Or did you plan on killing every blonde hair, blue eyed rebel and hope you eventually got it right?_ ”  
  
“ _I don’t answer to you, bitch_.”  
  
“Whatever,” (Y/N) sneers, returning to Basic.  
  
Eria jerks her arm aimlessly for a weapon and (Y/N) drives her blaster into the under side of her chin, “Oh! Look at that.”  
  
Eria stops immediately and (Y/N) shifts to plant a boot on her wrist before glancing back at Luke, “Did you see that?”  
  
She looks back down at Eria, “Were you reaching for something? Well let me help you.”  
  
(Y/N) leaves her blaster on Eria’s sternum and reaches back for her knife. She flips it in her grasp and says, “Here,” before driving it through Eria’s palm and into the ground below it. She has to give Eria credit for not crying out in pain. 

(Y/N) picks up her blaster again, smiling evilly, “Now isn’t this a funny turn of events? You’re only alive because the man you tried to kill choose to spare your life. Perhaps you should thank him.”

Luke makes a soft noise behind (Y/N), but she still hears it. (Y/N) swallows her sigh and cools her temper, not forcing the subject.  
  
“Now, Luke and I are going to go about our business here, undisturbed. And then we’ll leave, uninhibited, by you or anyone else. I don’t care if it’s you, an associate, or someone you’ve never met who’s working completely independent of yourself. If we have anymore trouble here, I will hunt you down. And he,” (Y/N) jerks her head to indicate Luke, “won’t be able to stop me next time. Do we have an understanding?”  
  
Eria glares at her silently.  
  
(Y/N) smacks her across the face with the blaster, “Do we have an understanding?”  
  
Eria spits out some blood, “Yes.”  
  
“Good,” (Y/N) smiles before smacking her harder, knocking her out.  
  
(Y/N) extracts the knife from Eria’s hand and puts it back onto her belt. She stands and turns, “Let’s get out of here.”  
  
She brushes past Luke. When he makes no move to follow, (Y/N) returns to his side, “Come on,” pulling at his hand, “We have to go.”  
  
Luke shakes his head and turns to leave with her. (Y/N) releases his hand and they start to walk.  
  
“We...” Luke collects himself, “We don’t have anymore business here.”  
  
“I know,” (Y/N) responds, “I want her to think we’ll be here longer than we actually are. Never trust a Shadow, trust me.”  
  
“But you’re a Shadow.”  
  
(Y/N) glances at him and smirks wordlessly.  
  
Luke blinks and seems to remember something. He grabs her hand to stop her, “Oh my god, are you okay?”  
  
“Yes,” is her simple reply. Why is he worried?  
  
Luke voice is frantic, “But you-“  
  
“Luke,” (Y/N) cuts him off, freeing her hand, “I have to go tell the authorities about the rebel. Go start the ship.”  
  
“(Y/N),” he grabs her sleeve frantically, “you-“  
  
“Luke!” (Y/N) says sharply, hands grabbing his face to center him, “Go start the ship, I’ll be there in a moment. Okay?”  
  
“Okay,” he nods within her hands.  
  
(Y/N) releases his head, turns on her heel, and walks away.

***

(Y/N) steps up the small ramp and presses the button to shut the door, “I’m on. Go.”  
  
The ship lifts off the ground immediately and they start to fly away. (Y/N) joins him in the cockpit, sitting in the empty copilot seat, and absently watches Luke plug the coordinates to the base into the computer. Once they jump to lightspeed, he turns in his seat.  
  
“Are you okay?”  
  
“Yes, I’m fine.”  
  
Luke shakes his head, “How can you be? You drank poison. And knowingly! Why’d you do that?”  
  
(Y/N) raises her eyebrow, “To protect you, I thought that was obvious.”  
  
“Wh-why?”  
  
“I told you that while I was serving you that I’d ensure your safety.”  
  
Luke huffs, “How are you not dead?”  
  
(Y/N) shrugs, “Part of my training for the League was building resistance to poisons and other stuff like that. The amount in that cup was nothing for me.”  
  
“So you don’t need medical assistance? You were bleeding.”  
  
“It’s nothing, bit the inside of my cheek the other day and the poison irritated it. I’m fine.”  
  
Luke sighs and rubs at the bridge of his nose, “Okay...” he glances up at her, “Are you sure?”  
  
“Don’t worry about me. If there was a problem, I’d be dead already.”  
  
He scowls at her blasé tone but settles down into his seat. They sit in comfortable silence for a while.  
  
“Wait,” Luke frowns, “Wedge gave you a sedative on the day we first met. Did you just pretend to be asleep?”  
  
(Y/N) throws her head back and laughs.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNING: very brief, very minimal nonconsensual touching by random guy on (Y/N), but don’t worry, nothing happens and (Y/N) shows him the error of his ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Chapter 4 and 5 were both posted today (Happy Holidays) so be sure to read 4 before this one.

It always shocked (Y/N), how much Luke trusted her.    
  
There wasn’t much he didn’t tell her. He told her about his meetings, daily activity on the base, even his Force sensitivity. 

He hadn’t told her the story of the events leading to the destruction of the Death Star while she had been in her cell. (Y/N) hadn’t questioned it, since she didn’t expect him to trust her. She never expected to learn about how he had done it. 

But he had no reservations about telling her once she was free. (Y/N) theorized that he had been aware she was being monitored in the cell and didn’t want the people listening to know of his Force sensitivity. Luke was a pretty open person, but he kept that tidbit close to the vest. Only her, Leia, Han, Chewie, and his two droids appeared to be aware of his lightsaber and sensitivity. 

Luke told her about the whole thing: buying the droids, finding Ben and the stories of his father, meeting Han, getting captured, freeing Leia, Ben’s death, how Ben spoke to him during the attack of the Death Star, and how he made the one in a million shot without using his targeting computer. He showed her his lightsaber, even let her hold it. This information being revealed had brightened Luke’s colors drastically, filling the different parts of his body further. They still blended together at the edges and bled out around him. The gold of his hair stretched out into the air like a halo which made (Y/N) smile internally despite herself.    
  
She had found him practicing with the lightsaber one day. He had been surprised to see her, joking about putting a bell on her, but hadn’t stopped or asked her to leave. (Y/N) had silently watched him, allowing him to focus. After sitting in on a few sessions, much like with the Falcon, (Y/N) started to get involved. There was nothing she could do about his failures to use the Force to move objects or call his lightsaber to him. He had described the mind trick Ben had performed but, as it only worked on the weak minded, he didn’t try it with (Y/N). She offered some tips on his form at first, eventually finding a light piece of pipe to mimic a saber. (Y/N) would complete a complex series of attacks and blocks, then again slowly, and then Luke would try to do it.    
  
He was a dedicated student and fast learner for the most part. It was clear he’d never used the lightsaber in a real battle, and he was a civilian. By the League’s standards, he was slow and sloppy. (Y/N) had taught classes where she had yelled and punished for less. But she remained patient with him, never once raising her voice. She was surprised by herself when it came to this, as she often was when it came to Luke. (Y/N) wasn’t sure where her seemingly bottomless patience and borderline compassion for him came from.    
  
Maybe all the kindness he showed her.    
  
(Y/N) had never been shown kindness before in her life. From the beginning, Luke had never been rude to her. He’d never even really been distrusting, something that was especially peculiar considering how they met. He visited her at her cell, bringing her food, Sabacc, and conversation. After, he’d offered her a place, continued to spend time with her, and made sure she had everything she needed. And he continued to trust her after seeing her in action. Luke hadn’t seen her kill at the Imperial base, beyond the watchtowers. Obviously he had seen the end result, but not her in the moment. The same couldn’t be said for Anchorhead. He’d watched her first hand put on a flawless act in front of Eria, drink poison like it was water, and attack Eria in the alleyway. An attack that had been very similar to the one between the two of them. Yet his opinion of her seemed unchanged. He had been worried about her, neither her actions nor Eria crossed his mind. And while it was obvious Luke wasn’t a fan of violence, it would seem it didn’t correlate to not being a fan of her.    
  
“Like that?” Luke draws her attention.    
  
(Y/N) looks at his face, watching how the already distorted coloration is thrown off by the glowing blue tint of his saber.    
  
She nods, feeling a smile pull at the corners of her mouth, “Exactly like that.”   
  
“Great,” Luke deactivates the lightsaber with a smile, “Want to go get lunch?”  


***  


The Rebellion had to move its base. Their paranoia was extreme, but given her own high level, (Y/N) was in full support. A scout had found a small structure, most likely built by smugglers, on the frozen planet of Hoth. They had sent people there to ensure the structure was secure and to install a shield generator to protect the base.    
  
It was cold there, obviously. While (Y/N) didn’t mind it, actually preferring it if she was allowed such preferences, it had hit Luke hard. He was a sniffling, sneezing, shivering mess. He had bundled himself up in bed, surrounded by blankets that had come with the room as well as several (Y/N) had stolen. When she had presented them, he had given her a disapproving look. But that had been undermined by his immediate taking of the blankets and incorporating them into his nest. The whole wing’s heating system wasn’t running for whatever reason and, upon discovering this, (Y/N) had procured a broken, discarded space heater. Luke had watched, only his face visible in his cocoon of blankets, as (Y/N) had lugged it in, repaired it, and turned it on. His seemingly permanent miserable expression had become a grateful one.    
  
(Y/N) presses the button to open Luke’s door, “I got you dinner.”   
  
Luke starts to speak before breaking off to cough wetly. Once done, he asks, “What is it?”   
  
“Soup.”   
  
Luke frowns in thought, “I didn’t know soup was on the menu tonight.”   
  
(Y/N) shrugs, putting the tray down to help him sit up, “I pulled some strings.”   
  
Luke looks at her suspiciously, “And by ‘strings’ you mean what exactly?”   
  
“Calm down,” (Y/N) rolls her eyes, “Everyone still has ten fingers,” she pauses to grab the tray, “Toes, however, are a different story.”   
  
“(Y/N)...”    
  
“I’m kidding, Luke. Eat your damn soup.”   
  
(Y/N) sits in the seat by the desk and pulls out the holopad she never quite got around to returning to Luke.    
  
Eventually, the sound of the spoon scraping the bowl reaches her ears. (Y/N) looks up to see Luke eat the last bit with a shaking hand.    
  
“Do you want more?”   
  
Luke shakes his head, “No, I don’t want to get sick.”   
  
(Y/N) stands and takes the tray, “How about just broth?”   
  
“No, I just want to sleep.”   
  
“Alright,” (Y/N) nods, “I’ll get out of your hair.”   
  
“You can stay,” Luke rasps, “I know it’s early and the others are all busy.”   
  
(Y/N)’s about to say no but he coughs pitifully and looks at her with big, sad eyes.    
  
She swallows the sigh, “Sure, I’ll just go take this,” she lifts the tray, “to the kitchen and then I’ll be back.”   
  
“Be sure to thank them.”   
  
(Y/N) rolls her eyes but says nothing as she leaves. She walks to the kitchen, dropping off the tray near the washer, and offering a general thanks to anyone in earshot. Quickly returning to Luke’s room, (Y/N) reclaims her seat. His half-closed eyes flicker over to her but he’s too tired to say anything. She picks up the holopad and picks up where she left off.    
  
Aside from Luke’s sniffling and coughing, and the low hum of the space heater, it’s silent.    
  
(Y/N) hears Luke’s tired huff and glances up. The exhaustion on his face makes Luke look like he’s twenty years older than he actually is. He continues to shiver under the thousand blankets and looks absolutely miserable.    
  
The League had beaten sympathy, compassion, and mercy from (Y/N) years ago. However, like it always seems to be when it comes to Luke, he’s the exception.    
  
“Move over.”   
  
Luke opens his eyes, “What?”   
  
“Move over,” (Y/N) shucks off her coat and kicks off her boots.    
  
Luke frowns at her in confusion but does as she says. (Y/N) walks over and sits down. She throws her legs onto the mattress and rearranges the bed so she’s under the blankets and a pillow rests between her back and the headboard.    
  
Luke’s tired eyes look up at her in shock, “What?”   
  
(Y/N) picks up her holopad and settles into place, not looking at him, “Go to sleep.”   
  
Luke sighs which just ends up making him cough before closing his eyes. Within minutes, he’s stopped shivering. (Y/N) looks down at him with a raised eyebrow before returning her attention to the holopad. He keeps a respectful distance between their bodies, ensuring he doesn’t touch her.   
  
Within the hour, he’s snoring softly.    
  
Several hours later, (Y/N) glances at the clock. She should be getting to bed. (Y/N) glances down at Luke. His arm is wrapped tightly around her thigh and his face is smushed up against her hip. He looks at peace, in a deep sleep that her leaving wouldn’t rouse him from. 

Despite this knowledge, (Y/N) just tosses her holopad onto the bedside table and closes her eyes.  


***  


(Y/N) wakes before Luke the next morning. Her neck and back are aching and at some point Luke managed to wrap his leg around hers as well. She wonders absently how well he can breath with his face burrowed against the fabric of her pants. 

She picks up the holopad and plays on it until Luke wakes up. He initially snuggles closer, before he realizes he’s spooning the leg of an assassin, and stops in his tracks. Luke leans back to look up at her, lines on the side of his face and hair going in twenty different directions, “Sorry,” he says in a rough voice before coughing.    
  
“It’s fine. That cough sounds much better. Do you want breakfast?”   
  
(Y/N) ends up spending the majority of the day in bed beside Luke. She leaves to get food, but that’s about it. Luke sleeps most of the day, sprawled across the mattress and her legs indiscriminately.    
  
It’s late when Luke wakes again, unwinding himself from her legs, “Sorry again.”   
  
He glances at the clock, “It’s late, you can go. I know your back’s been bothering you all day.”   
  
(Y/N) leaves, bidding him goodnight as she does.    
  
She brushes her teeth and pulls back the covers of her own bed. (Y/N) pauses before she can lay down. She huffs and grabs a pillow before leaving.    
  
(Y/N) walks back into Luke’s room, peering down at him. He’s asleep, but already shivering again.    
  
She climbs in, tucking a pillow back up for her back and using the one from her room to cushion her head. (Y/N) curses her inexplicably soft heart and closes her eyes.    
  
(Y/N)’s half asleep when Luke wraps an arm around her leg. He’s not shivering anymore.  


***

A couple days later, (Y/N)’s tinkering away at something on the top of the Falcon. Han’s on the other side of the roof while Chewie’s closer to her, telling her about Kashyyyk during the Clone War. 

“And what did he say?”   
  
Chewie roars, making her chuckle.    
  
“(Y/N)!”   
  
(Y/N) glances up at Han in confusion before realizing it wasn’t him. She spins on her butt to look over the ledge she sits by.    
  
“Luke,” she greets. Luke had finally bounced back and was getting acclimated to the cold climate of Hoth. She’d left him to his own devices for the day, as he was no doubt eager for some interaction with someone other than her. The Rogue Squadron minus Luke had left on a mission without him two days ago, because the Rebellion couldn’t come to a stop just because he was sick, but Luke had countless other friends on the base.    
  
“The guys! They were captured.”   
  
“How do you know?”   
  
“A ransom message was sent.”   
  
Chewie howls.    
  
“No, I can’t wait,” Luke answers him before looking back at her with desperate eyes, “I need your help. They could die, you have to go get them.”   
  
(Y/N) stands and jumps off the roof of the Falcon, landing silently by Luke, “As you request.”   
  
Luke nods in understanding at the weight of her words. This is one of her three tasks for him.   
  
“Go get what you need and tell who you have to. Is the ship we took to Tatooine good to use?”   
  
“Yes.”   
  
“Alright, then meet me onboard.”  


***  


“Land there,” (Y/N) points. Luke complies.    
  
Once on the ground, (Y/N) stands, “Alright, lets go.”   
  
“You want me to go with you?”   
  
“You don’t?” (Y/N) asks in surprise. She never took Luke for someone to wait on the getaway ship.    
  
“No! I do! They’re my friends. I just didn’t think you’d want me to come. I thought I’d slow you down.”   
  
(Y/N) looks at him, “I’m not sure if you’re underestimating me or yourself there, but either way don’t.”   
  
The two of them exit the ship.    
  
“Be on the lookout,” (Y/N) says, “It’s local trouble we have to worry about. Imperials don’t offer ransom.”   
  
The pair walk down the street as casually as possible to avoid drawing suspicion.    
  
“That looks promising,” Luke points to a large building that stands apart from everything else.

“Yes,” (Y/N) says, “and so does that.”   
  
Luke follows her gaze to a lone man in clothing with a symbol on the chest of his jacket and a helmet. She walks over to him with Luke on her tail. (Y/N) pulls out her blaster, glancing around to make sure the street is empty, before driving the blaster up under the exposed part of the mask to shoot the man.    
  
The man drops to the ground and (Y/N) grabs his shirt to drag him into a dark alley. She immediately starts to underdress him.    
  
“Put these on.” Luke does just that.    
  
“Here,” (Y/N) passes him her two blasters, “Now pretend to cuff me.”   
  
Luke pulls the pair of cuffs off his borrowed belt and puts them on (Y/N) without locking them.    
  
“I hope you’re good at acting.”   
  
Luke nods, “I’ve done this before,” and grabs her bicep.    
  
The pair of them march towards the large building. They’re greeted by one man in similar clothing, “What have you got there?”   
  
“The rebels sent her to bust out our prisoners,” Luke replies gruffly.    
  
“Very nice,” the man says, stroking a hand down (Y/N)’s face. She jerks away but he just follows, “Not often we get female rebels.”   
  
(Y/N) snarls, “Get your hands off me.”   
  
The man smiles as his hand stays where it is, cupping her cheek and thumbing at her lip, “Throw her in with the others in B, but wait to tell the bosses. She’s feisty, I like that. I want a go before they decide what to do with her.”

The man presses the button, opening the door he stands by. Luke nods wordlessly and leads (Y/N) inside. The man smacks her ass as she walks past. 

“I’m sorry, (Y/N),” Luke says softly once the door closes.    
  
“It’s fine, I’ve had much worse.”   
  
“Still.”   
  
(Y/N) shushes him.    
  
They walk to the detention block, not running into anyone else on the way, heading down the hallway labeled ‘B’.

Luke takes the mask off and tucks the cuffs back onto his belt, “I’ve got right, you get left.”   
  
(Y/N) walks to the first door on the left and pushes the button, revealing Zev laying on the bed.    
  
“Zev.”   
  
His head snaps over, “(Y/N)?”   
  
“Yes.”   
  
She walks down the row, having similar interactions with the rest of the guys. They all group together at the entrance to the hall with (Y/N) at the front and Luke at the back.    
  
“Let’s move. Quietly and quickly.”   
  
(Y/N) leads them back the way they came. She reaches the front door without running into anyone again and presses the button to open it. (Y/N) pulls out her knife, smiling sweetly at the man from before, “Hey there. Still want a go?” and drives it into his crotch.    
  
The man doesn’t even get a chance to yell in agony before (Y/N) punches him. He falls to his knees, blood running down his face. (Y/N) grabs his head and yanks it down as her knee drives up. The man’s head snaps back sharply and he falls to the ground unconscious.    
  
(Y/N) steps to the side and beckons the guys, “They’ll soon realize their prisoners are gone.”   
  
They file out and as Luke walks through the doorway, the hair on the back of (Y/N)’s neck stands up.    
  
She moves to stand in front of Luke while reaching for her blasters. Her hands grab nothing and (Y/N) remembers she gave them to Luke as someone appears at the end of the hall.    
  
“Wedge! The door!”   
  
(Y/N) turns as the woman starts to shoot, grabbing Luke and tucking him into her body. With a hand on the back of his neck, she keeps him completely out of shot. Blasts fly past (Y/N), a few grazing her, before cutting off as Wedge shuts the door.    
  
She opens her eyes to see the guys staring at her in shock. (Y/N) releases the death grip she has on Luke, who stands up straight as she takes her blasters from him and puts them back in her holsters. She starts walking before anyone else can talk.    
  
(Y/N) and Luke lead the group back in the direction of the ship. She can feel the burn and sting of where the blasts hit her, but she was trained to operate while injured, so she shoves the pain from her mind and focuses on her mission.    
  
They reach the clearing where the ship is parked when (Y/N) hears a big blast.

She freezes and everyone behind stumbles. Their ship explodes with a fiery burst. (Y/N) shields her eyes, watching as debris flies through the air. All that’s left of their means of escape is a huge, black blast mark and twisted pieces of metal. 

“Alright,” (Y/N) turns, “This way. I saw a docking zone.”   
  
She leads them to the zone and looks around. She needs a fast ship. 

“There,” she points and starts walking in the direction of a Naboo model ship. Naboo ships tend to be two things: sleek and fast. There’s a good bet this one will be too. She spots a man walking down the ramp and she reaches for her blaster.    
  
A warm hand wraps around her wrist, stopping its motion. She slows and looks over her shoulder at the person it’s attached to. 

“(Y/N), don’t,” Luke shakes his head.    
  
(Y/N) shoots him a look but says, “Fine.”   
  
He releases her and (Y/N) picks up her pace towards the man at the ship.    
  
“Hey, sir, is this your ship?” (Y/N)’s voice is bubbly and innocent.    
  
The man glances at it, “Yeah, it’s-“ and is cut off by (Y/N) punching him square in the face, knocking him out cold. She grabs his shirt to ease his drop to the ground.    
  
Glancing over her shoulder, she asks, “Better?”   
  
Luke frowns down at the unconscious man, “We’ll work on it.”   
  
(Y/N) rolls her eyes, “At least I didn’t kill him,” she glances past the group, “Get on board. This is the only zone, so I’m sure they’re almost here.”   
  
They all scurry on board and (Y/N) slides into the pilot’s chair. She flicks the correct levers and pushes the right buttons and the ship jumps to life.    
  
“We’ve got company,” Hobbie says from where he looks out the window.    
  
“Not for long,” (Y/N) says as she throws the ship in gear and blasts away from the docking bay. She flies away from the town, aiming in the direction needed to make the jump to Hoth.    
  
“Hobbie, plug in the coordinates.”   
  
Hobbie sits down in the seat next to her and swings it over to the navigational computer.    
  
“There’s incoming fighters,” Wedge says.    
  
“You and Luke, go find the guns, there should be two,” (Y/N) orders, “Aim forward. Everybody else, strap in.”   
  
“Coordinates in and ready to calculate from a precise position,” Hobbie slides his chair over to face forward, “What are you thinking?”   
  
(Y/N) points through the window to the large mountain range in front of them. She flies the ship at an angle, making it obvious to anyone else in the sky that she’s going around them. That way all the fighters will follow her instead of breaking off. She flies around the edge of the mountain range, accelerating dramatically. It’s a risky move, bringing her close to the formations, but it will make the others slow out of fear of crashing. (Y/N) throws a lever and yanks the controls. The ship jerks sharply in the air but does as she directs, spinning quickly to face the edge of the range. As the other fighters make the turn, Wedge and Luke open fire, shooting them all easily.    
  
She turns the ship again and blasts away from the mountains, resuming her path towards open space. They break the atmosphere without any ships flying after them. (Y/N) brings the ship to a slow and, without prompt, Hobbie returns to the computer.    
  
“All good.”   
  
(Y/N) reaches to the right to push a group of levers, and watches the stars around the ship stretch out as they jump to lightspeed. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNING: very brief, very minimal nonconsensual touching by random guy on (Y/N), but don’t worry, nothing happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Wedge’s POV section, there is a flashback. The flashback is separated by ~~~ instead of the usual ***.

(Y/N) quickly excuses herself, letting the small crowd of expectant rebels flocking around the Rogue Squadron serve as camouflage. She slips from the docking bay and quickly walks towards her room. Her skin burns from where the blasts had hit her, they needed to be tended. 

Entering her bathroom, (Y/N) retrieves the small medkit out from under the sink. 

Carefully pulling up her shirt, she assesses the damage. Nothing deep or life threatening, just angry red skin and blood smeared around the edges of the wounds. 

(Y/N) wets a washcloth with warm water and twists her body to better look at the blast mark on her side. She wipes at the skin, clearing away the red. 

It wraps around to her back, making the angle strange. Her awkward position pulls on her other injuries but (Y/N) ignores the pain. 

She hears a noise outside the bathroom and then “(Y/N)?”

It’s Luke. She fights down the groan of frustration and calls, “In here, just a sec.”  
  
She dabs at the wound when her eye is drawn to another part of the mirror. (Y/N) yanks her shirt down and brings her head around to snap, “Luke! I said ‘just a sec’.”  
  
“I thought you said ‘come here for a sec’,” Luke says, eyes latched onto (Y/N)’s side, “You're hurt.”  
  
“I’m almost done,” (Y/N) replies quickly, inching away.  
  
“Why didn’t you go to medical?”  
  
(Y/N) huffs, “Do you really think they’d help me?”  
  
“Alright, fair,” Luke gets a sad expression on his face, “but why didn’t you come to me?”  
  
“I’m fine. Look, either do whatever it is you came here for and go or leave now and I’ll find you when I’m done.”  
  
“(Y/N), I’m not leaving you injured,” Luke steps forward to take the washcloth that’s pink from her blood.  
  
(Y/N) steps back, curling defensively. He freezes in his tracks. (Y/N)’s been trained to be distrusting of everyone and everything. She’s not supposed to show any form of weakness, ever. To show someone an actual injury, and to allow them near it? Suicide in her line of work.  
  
Luke seems to realize this and says softly, “(Y/N), I’ll go if you want me to. But I’d like to help you, if you’ll let me. You can trust me.”  
  
(Y/N) looks him up and down, before mentally shaking herself. This is Luke. Not some stranger. She holds out the washcloth.  
  
Luke takes it gently and (Y/N) lifts the side of her shirt again. Luke wets the cloth again before picking up where (Y/N) had stopped. His other hand rests clinically on her flat stomach, using it to steady and turn her as he cleans her skin. (Y/N) normally would loath the contact, but she finds she doesn’t mind the warm touch. Once satisfied, Luke grabs a bacta patch from the medkit and carefully puts it on her side.  
  
“Is there more?”  
  
“No,” (Y/N) answers as she pulls the shirt back down.  
  
“You sure?”  
  
(Y/N) makes the mistake of looking into his open, blue eyes. She sighs and reaches back to pull her shirt back up. Luke makes a noise of sympathy at the long, bloody mark that runs across her shoulder blade.  
  
He grabs the washcloth and starts to clean again.  
  
Luke eventually asks, “When did you get these?” His breath hits the back of her neck.  
  
(Y/N) shakes her head, “I don’t know.” She doesn’t have to see Luke’s face to know he doesn’t buy it. She can’t blame him. It’s a weak lie, but done in an effort to protect him. The same as why she spoke to Eria in Rodian so he wouldn’t know why the rebel in Anchorhead was killed.  
  
“When we were at the front door?”  
  
(Y/N) closes her eyes in resignation but says nothing.  
  
Luke sighs, “(Y/N), I-”  
  
“I let you stay so you could clean and bandage, not talk.”  
  
Luke stays quiet but (Y/N) can tell he’s just going to bring it up at a later time.  
  
He pulls another bacta patch from her kit and places it on her shoulder. (Y/N) pulls her shirt back down.  
  
“Is there more?” Luke asks again.  
  
(Y/N) clenches her fist, knowing that she can’t lie to him for some reason.  
  
“My arm,” she says, “I can’t pull my sleeve up all the way.”  
  
(Y/N) pulls her shirt off completely, leaving her in just a bra, and crosses her arms. Why why why did she wear long sleeves today? Luke’s seen her scarred knuckles and the long cut on her one forearm where someone tried to slit her wrist before. But now he can see everything. All the scars from her years in the line of fire. He’s probably seen hints of them, but now he can see the full extent of past injuries. A scar from a blaster mark that came close to severing her spine, if not killing her altogether. The line from a knife that was supposed to cut her jugular, courtesy of Aurra Sing, but (Y/N) had been too quick for. (Y/N)’s been attacked and her life threatened more times than she can remember. Most of them she’s avoided without a mark, but these are the ones that came closest to death. And now Luke can see them all.  
  
He says nothing though. Just wipes away her blood and places a bacta patch on the wound.  
  
(Y/N) turns her head to look up at Luke. He looks at her without judgment. (Y/N) says evenly, “Thank you. That’s all of them, I promise.”  
  
“You’re welcome,” he says softly, “How about you go put on a clean shirt and we go get some lunch? Or do you want to hang here?”  
  
(Y/N) swallows thickly before saying, “Lunch sounds good.”

***

(Y/N) stands in line for breakfast, absently staring at the wall as she mulled over the conversation between her and Luke the night before.  
  
She had immediately been suspicious when he walked her back to her bedroom. (Y/N) hardly needed an escort. That and the way he had stuck by her side all day watching her with concern in his blue eyes told (Y/N) he had an agenda.  
  
Standing by her door, Luke had started his speech. He thanked her again for helping him free the guys. He apologized for the creep at the front door. And then he started in on her injuries, thanking her for protecting him and apologizing for the harm it brought her. (Y/N) had tried to dismiss his thanks because it was a part of her job to protect him and dismiss his concerns because the wounds were superficial. Luke had been quick to counter, insisting that kind of thing couldn’t just be written off. And then he started to lecture her about getting medical assistance. Receiving a lecture from a civilian was certainly an interesting experience. (Y/N)’s first instinct had been to break his jaw but she’d immediately dismissed the notion. This was Luke, he was different. He had explained gently that he understood why she was unwilling to admit she had been hurt, but that he wasn’t like people from her past. He had explained that he considered her a friend, and that while she could handle herself, it wouldn’t stop Luke from worrying about her and wanting to make sure she was okay.  
  
In a moment that had played over in (Y/N)’s mind a hundred times as she tried to fall asleep, Luke had ran his hands down her arms, careful of her bandaged bicep, and said “You’re my responsibility too.”  
  
(Y/N) mentally shakes herself, realizing she was at the front of the line. She takes the tray offered and grabs a piece of fruit and water too. Luke is going to eat with the guys, Leia eats breakfast at around six in the morning, and Han and Chewie eat breakfast so late it’s practically lunch, so she’s on her own today. (Y/N) turns to look for a seat off to herself but her view of the tables is blocked by two bodies. Kit and Dak.  
  
“Morning,” she says tonelessly, not in the mood to fight.  
  
“Morning,” they reply together.  
  
(Y/N) moves to step around them.  
  
“Wait,” Dak says, “Come with us.”  
  
(Y/N) raises an eyebrow but follows them. They lead her over to the guys’ table, where everyone else is looking up at her. Only Luke is missing.  
  
“Did you want to sit with us today?”  
  
“Why?” (Y/N) replies flatly. The ‘At best you distrust me and at the worst hate me and want me in a cell with the key thrown away’ is left unsaid. The guys seem to see it on her face though because several of them shift uncomfortably.  
  
“Well, we wanted to extend the olive branch,” Wes says.  
  
“You didn’t have to come get us,” Kit says, “We know you have an arrangement with Luke, but you could have said ‘no’.”  
  
“And we gave you every reason to.”  
  
“Luke trusted you from practically the beginning and we didn’t get it, but now we do.”  
  
(Y/N)’s eyes flicker around the table, seeing open and apologetic expressions. She sits down carefully in one of the two open seats and gets smiles in return.  
  
“Atta girl,” Tarrin claps a hand on her shoulder before ripping it back like he was burned, “Oh crap! Sorry.”  
  
(Y/N) fights the urge to jerk back at his words. His hand didn’t hit her injury, but he thought it did. Which means he knows, so the whole group probably knows. She shouldn’t be surprised, they were all standing there when she jumped in front of Luke.  
  
“It’s fine, you didn’t hit anything,” she says, seeing no point of denying what they saw with their own eyes.  
  
“Hey guys,” Luke announces his presence before adding, “...and (Y/N)?”  
  
The guys offer a range of greetings. (Y/N) watches Luke sit beside her while he looks around the table suspiciously, “What’s going on?”  
  
“Well you know how we have to service our fighters? We were just asking (Y/N) if she wanted to help out, since she seems to know her way around the Falcon,” Wedge provides smoothly.  
  
Luke looks at her for confirmation. (Y/N) blinks, “Uh, sure. I don’t have anything planned.”  
  
He smiles brightly, “Cool,” and starts to eat. (Y/N) sees Wedge smile at her over Luke’s head.

***

Wedge is a complete loss for words. He looks over at where (Y/N) and Luke sit, still coming to terms what he had just realized.  
  
It was around two years ago that Luke had casually mentioned something (Y/N) had said. Wedge had looked at him in question, because it didn’t make sense. How would Luke know what the imprisoned assassin was saying? Was he looking into the security footage of her, provided by the cleverly hidden camera? No. It turned out that Luke was visiting her about twice a week. In person. Wedge had put whatever he was tinkering with down to give his friend his full attention, because why would Luke be visiting the assassin who had almost kidnapped him? Luke had immediately dismissed Wedge’s worry, explaining that (Y/N) was more than that. Apparently, (Y/N) was intelligent, funny when she wanted to be, and good at Sabacc. Good at Sabacc. Wedge had wanted to take Luke to the medical wing to get his head checked as he had gone on and on. But it hadn’t stopped there.  
  
Luke went before the Council, insisting it was in the Rebellion’s best interest to agree to (Y/N)’s offer. He had pushed for her to be given a chance to prove her abilities. Having Leia backing him and the natural curiosity of the Council, a test run of (Y/N) had been approved. 

Then the mission happened. Wedge watched (Y/N) kill the watchtower guards and then walk into the facility like it was nothing. Wedge understood what it took to win the war, so it wasn’t incredibly off-putting to see the end results of (Y/N)’s work. He had a strong stomach, so he’d been able to look past the blood to see (Y/N) was legit. The killings were professional, either one shot or one knife wound. No alarm had been sounded and no struggle had been made. She was good. Some of the other guys had been thrown by her deadliness. The fact that someone so young could do something so brutal was shocking. Even Wedge could see that. But he was familiar with the League, so it made sense.  
  
He had been surprised that the Council had refused (Y/N)’s offer. The battle against the Empire wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It couldn’t always be picture perfect moment things like Luke blowing up the Death Star. The war was dirty most of the time and Wedge knew someone like (Y/N) could do the nitty gritty work. While he didn’t necessarily trust (Y/N), he had been glad to hear Luke had managed to get her to stay.  
  
Wedge made an effort to be polite to (Y/N), something the other guys didn’t feel inclined to do. They told the others on the base of her ruthlessness, not painting a pretty picture. Wedge saw how people would avoid her and how many would glare or look at her suspiciously. What he also saw was (Y/N)’s response to all of the hostility and distrust. Which was nothing. She kept to herself and didn’t lash out, and she did it for Luke. Wedge knew she probably would like nothing more than to respond to the harsh words or looks, but she understood her actions reflected on Luke. 

Luke told him about the trip to Tatooine. Wedge had been surprised, because of how the duo’s deal had been explained to him. It didn’t make sense for someone to drink poison for their, for lack of a better word, contractually obligated boss. To drink poison, even though it was no risk to her, meant something. (Y/N) cared about Luke. It had shown Wedge that (Y/N) was protective of Luke. 

He started to notice the lingering looks she would direct at Luke from across a room. Even among friends she was on guard, watching out for him. She was concerned for his well being, which meant there was more to their relationship. A fact that had never been more clear than during the rescue mission. 

Wedge hadn’t doubted for one second that Luke would come after him and the others once word of their capture reached the base. What he hadn’t expected was that (Y/N) would be with him. Luke was dedicated to his friends, so Wedge imagined he would ask (Y/N), but he had assumed the assassin would refuse. And Wedge wouldn’t have blamed her if she had refused, they had given (Y/N) no reason to want to risk her life to save them. So when his cell door had been opened, revealing (Y/N), he had been shocked. (Y/N) had led the group through the facility, killing the guard at the door (in a fashion that Wedge had asked Luke about later). Then the woman at the end of the hall appeared. Wedge hadn’t known anything was wrong until (Y/N) had yelled at him. He had turned and watched the whole thing in what felt like slow motion. (Y/N) had turned, pulling Luke into her body protectively with no regard for herself. The red laser blasts had flown past the duo, clipping (Y/N) a few times before Wedge had gotten the door to close. (Y/N) had opened her eyes and stepped away from Luke, taking her blasters from him as if nothing had happened. As if she hadn’t just almost died to save Luke. Wedge had been able to see the rips in her shirt and the red of her blood through the tears. Definitely not something you did for your boss.  
  
It was after that event that the relationship between (Y/N) and the rest of them changed. The guys realized the benefits of (Y/N)’s abilities, as well as her loyalty to Luke. They were still cautious of her deadliness, but assured they wouldn’t come to harm due to the extent of her relationship with Luke. As they started to spend more time with (Y/N), Wedge started to see more of what Luke saw. From Luke’s stories, Wedge knew she was a good person. She hardly had a heart of gold, but it was clear she was trying. Her very presence proved that, in how she had refused to give Luke to the Empire and was willing to do work for the Rebellion. Yes, it was all done as a part of her deal with Luke, but she had done far more than three things for him. (Y/N) claimed it was done in protection of Luke, but she went beyond that constantly.  
  
Wedge remembers specifically a time one of their suppliers had dramatically increased prices. Wedge, Luke, and Leia had visited the supplier, a Rodian named Onko, to see why. (Y/N) had gone with them, knowing full well Luke wasn’t at risk. When Onko hadn’t had an explanation for the price increase beyond “Why not?”, Leia had tried the diplomatic approach. The Rodian had refused to compromise. Luke had told him “You can’t do that” and Onko had sneered at him, “And you and what army are going to stop me?”. (Y/N) had stepped forward from where she had been casually leaning against the wall, hidden in the shadows she was named after, and rested a hand on Luke’s shoulder “No army. Just me.” The Rodian has looked at her with an unimpressed expression until (Y/N) has tilted her head to show off her collar. Onko had frozen in place, saying with a shaky voice “Now, wait, let's be reasonable,” and immediately dropped prices down to below the normal.  
  
That was another testament to (Y/N)’s change in temperament. Luke was opposed to meaningless violence, something that was (Y/N)’s bread and butter. She constantly showed mercy to appease Luke. Luke had told Wedge that she hadn’t killed the Shadow on Tatooine at his request and Wedge remembered Luke stopping her from killing the owner of the Naboo ship during their rescue mission. The situation with Onko could easily have been one where (Y/N) pulled a weapon, but instead only used her presence to get the Rebellion’s way.  
  
By spending more time with (Y/N) around the base, Wedge and the others could see her true self. She was still a skilled assassin, but there was a softness to her that came with the more relaxed environment. Especially when the guys proved they were genuinely trying to turn over a new leaf. Hobbie, one of the loudest voices against her in the beginning, had done a complete turnaround and adored (Y/N). He always tried to sit next to her at meals and had somehow convinced her to teach him some knife work. 

They started to notice little things about (Y/N), like how she preferred to sit with her back to a wall. It made sense for her to want to sit in a way that she could see the entire room. It had taken them a while, but they could tell by the way she sat with the slightest twist of her body at their table so she could have an ear to what was behind her and could easily look over her shoulder. Upon realizing this, the seating arrangement was switched so she was on the other side of the table. While the change in her body language had been subtle, almost unnoticeable, Wedge could see she was more relaxed that way. 

Wedge also was able to see just how much (Y/N) cared for Luke. He was the only one she really smiled at. She would smile at Wedge and the other guys, as well as Han, Leia, and Chewbacca, but it was always more of a smirk. (Y/N) genuinely smiled at Luke, without a hint of snark, and never snapped or was short with him. And the way Luke smiled back at her or tended to gravitate towards her, showed he cared about her too. Wedge had been so confused by their relationship at first. He had first thought Luke was interested in (Y/N) because she was exciting. Coming from a barren, desert planet like Tatooine, Wedge imagined Luke was always looking for excitement. Biggs had been that way. When Luke had told Wedge and the others about the journey that brought him to the Rebellion which only enforced this belief. His best friends were a smuggler with a bounty on his head from Jabba the fucking Hutt, an eight foot Wookiee, and the spitfire Princess of a destroyed planet. What was more exciting that being in cahoots with a trained assassin who had once been hired to capture him? But after getting to know Luke, Wedge had seen he wasn’t a thrill seeker and was just a friendly guy who genuinely liked almost everyone. His friendships with Han, Chewbacca, and Leia were real and Wedge would come to realize the same could be said for his friendship with (Y/N). He genuinely liked her and cared for her, which was evident in the way he spoke to and about her.  
  
The extent of their relationship was never more apparent than today. The King of the Crandol system had informed them that he as willing to give the Rebellion some new ships and other supplies. The Rebellion had sent a group to broker a deal, made up of Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar, Leia, Han and Chewbacca, Luke, Wedge, and some other squadron leaders. (Y/N) had also come, of course.

~~~

As breakfast comes to an end, (Y/N) stands.  
  
“Crandol is a slaver system,” she begins, “very traditional in their treatment of slaves. While there, you will not acknowledge the slaves. Act like they’re just pieces of furniture. Don’t look at them, don’t speak to them, don’t react to their treatment. Abuse is common for the slaves there and the people of Crandol would take offense to you questioning it or reacting poorly. I know many of you are bleeding hearts,” said with an eye roll, “but you must not try to help or free the slaves, as it would only result in their punishment. If you think their normal treatment is inhumane, the punishment will make it seem like a spa treatment.”  
  
She turns and walks out to the room without another word, with Luke following close behind.  
  
Wedge stands himself, going after Luke. He wanted to ask the man about growing up in Hutt territory to try to get a better idea about slavers and the like.  
  
However, the question soon leaves him mind as he catches up with Luke and (Y/N). He approaches the slightly open door and peers in at the two. They stand close together, facing one another, and (Y/N) is pulling something from a compartment on her belt. He feels bad for eavesdropping, but Wedge couldn’t bring himself to walk away as he realizes it was a chain.  
  
His shock is reflected on Luke’s face, “(Y/N)...”  
  
(Y/N) touches her collar, “I’m a slave, I need a Master.”  
  
“Me?” Luke asks incredulously.  
  
“Yes, you.”  
  
“You don’t look like a slave, we could take your collar off and they’d never know,” Luke argues.  
  
(Y/N) shakes her head, “It doesn’t come off. It wouldn’t be a collar if it did.”  
  
“But-but they probably wouldn’t recognize it,” Luke insists almost frantically.  
  
“No! They’d know. Even if I got the collar off…” (Y/N) shakes her head quickly, “They’d know, they’d figure it out somehow and then...”  
  
“Then what?”  
  
“I’d be punished...and I wouldn’t be allowed to leave.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Because I’d be a slave without a Master. I’d be given one. Which is why I need you to do this,” she offers the chain to him again, “Please.”  
  
“I can’t...there has to be someone else.”  
  
“There’s no one else,” (Y/N)’s voice shakes and Wedge almost falls over and gives himself away. She’s afraid. Terrified. Enough that she couldn’t hide it.  
  
Luke hears it right too and his face becomes panicked as he grabs her arms.  
  
“There’s no one else in the galaxy I’d trust to do this, Luke. On Crandol, I’ll have no rights, the person who holds my chain will have total control over me. I-“  
  
“Why did you come if you knew they were slavers?”  
  
“Because you asked me to,” (Y/N) answers simply.  
  
“(Y/N),” he sighs, “you could have said no.”

She shakes her head, “You wanted me to come, so I came. Please, Luke, I need your help.”  
  
(Y/N) looks down at her still shaking hand, at the chain that rattles slightly as a result, “You once told me that I was your responsibility too. Did you mean it?”  
  
Wedge’s heart stops, as if waiting for Luke’s answer.  
  
“You know I did,” he replies softly.  
  
“Then help me. Please, Luke, you’re the only one I trust to keep me safe.”  
  
Luke nods, taking the chain, “I don’t know how to do this.”  
  
“I’ll help you,” (Y/N) says, hand still shaking even though the chain was gone.  
  
Luke pulls her into a hug, saying something too quiet for Wedge to hear. (Y/N) doesn’t hug him back, but does rest her head lightly on his shoulder, unknowingly letting Wedge see just how much fear is on her face.  
  
Wedge quietly creeps away, having overstayed his welcome.  
  
When the ship lands and (Y/N) reappears with the chain attached to her collar, Han frowns at her in confusion, “(Y/N)?”  
  
She responds sharply, without any fear in her eyes or on her face, “You can’t talk to slaves, Han.”  
  
Everyone remains silent, avoiding looking at (Y/N) at all costs.  
  
They descend down the ramp, and see a small entourage waiting to greet them. They all have slaves of their own and Wedge sees some of them look at Luke in approval. (Y/N) stands behind Luke with her head slightly bowed, matching the positions of the other slaves perfectly.  
  
“Welcome to Crandol, King Diel-Ka is eager to meet you. This way.”  
  
They are brought to the large castle in the center of the city. Once inside, their escort introduces them to King Diel-Ka and his high council.  
  
“Welcome, welcome,” Diel-Ka says with a booming voice, “My subjects and I have enjoyed the stories of your heroics against the Empire for a long time now, it is so wonderful to meet you all. I would love to hear some of the stories for the people who were there, but first we must eat! It is a tradition here to feast with our guests while we discuss terms.”  
  
Wedge is not won over by the King’s friendly tone, as each person in chains reminds him of the truth of this place. The halls they walk through were built by slaves. He barely keeps the grimace of his face.  
  
He takes the seat next to Luke at the table, which means he can see (Y/N) kneeling at his feet.  
  
The food is served immediately and is probably delicious, but it tastes like ash to Wedge and sits like a stone in the pit of his stomach. During the meal, different members of the Alliance recollect adventures they went on to amuse the King and his associates.  
  
After dessert, King Diel-Ka addresses Luke, “Have your slave come over here, Commander Skywalker.”  
  
Just out of the corner of his eye, Wedge can see (Y/N) lightly tap Luke’s leg. He releases her chain, for the first time since landing.  
  
(Y/N) stands gracefully and walks over to stand by the King. He and a few of his high council members stand to examine her. They treat her like an animal at an auction. One of the council members even opens her jaw to peer at her teeth. The King runs a hand down her face before moving to cup her breasts.  
  
Wedge fights back the wince as he looks at (Y/N)’s face. It was blank. He knows she wants to do to the King what she did to the man while rescuing Wedge and the others. Wedge had seen several looks on her face before. For a cold-blooded assassin, (Y/N) could be very expressive if you knew where to look. Wedge had seen her happy, angry, even afraid. He’d seen her furious, suspicious, smug. He’d seen her eyes goes dark with the deadliness of a predator or blank to hide what she was thinking. But he’d never seen her like this. Her face was blank with resignation, the look of person who knew she could do nothing about what was happening and never would be able to. As much of a fireball she could be, as independent, snarky, and spirited as she could be, it didn’t matter. She was a slave and would always be a slave.  
  
King Diel-Ka is appreciatively running a hand down (Y/N)’s body as one of his council members asks, “Why do you still have her?”  
  
Luke’s white knuckles are hidden under the table, “What do you mean?”  
  
“She must be very disobedient to have earned these,” the woman says as she strokes the fresh scar from one of the blast marks (Y/N) got while protecting Luke.  
  
“She isn’t disobedient,” Luke says in a carefully controlled tone, swallowing, “My slave is trained in combat.”  
  
“Oh!” the woman laughs brightly, “How funny! A slave as pretty as her, trained in combat! How wasteful.”  
  
Several of the others laugh.  
  
“It’s a shame though, she seems like such a pretty thing.”  
  
“A shame?” Luke asks.  
  
“Yes, a shame she’s so ugly,” one man answers as he traces a scar by (Y/N)’s neck.  
  
“She isn’t ugly,” King Diel-Ka argues, hand leaving (Y/N)’s waist to her cup her cheek, “Look at her face.”  
  
“I suppose you’re right,” the man immediately agrees with his king.  
  
“Yes, not ugly,” the woman also concedes the point, “Just disfigured. Why haven’t you gotten a new one?”  
  
Wedge watches Luke unlock his clenched jaw, “There’s nothing wrong with her.”  
  
“I know, Commander Skywalker, but why not get a pleasure slave? One who isn’t disfigured to warm your bed?”  
  
“I have no need for another one,” Luke replies evenly.  
  
Another man chuckles as he grabs (Y/N)’s ass, “I’ll say. She’s gorgeous, quite the prize.”  
  
“She’s awful quiet,” the same woman asks, “Did you have her muted? I have mine go through the procedure when they are children.”  
  
“No,” Luke replies. Wedge swallows around the lump in his throat.  
  
“What is your name, girl?”  
  
“(Y/N), my lord,” (Y/N) answers immediately with a soft, submissive voice that is so unlike her usual one. It shakes Wedge to his core.   
  
One of the men laughs, “What a lovely voice. I imagine she makes quite lovely noises in bed, huh?”  
  
They all laugh. No one at the table does.  
  
King Diel-Ka finally looks away from (Y/N) to address Luke, “Commander Skywalker, how much for your slave?”  
  
Luke answers immediately, “She’s not for sale.”  
  
The King smiles, “Name your price,” and runs a hand along (Y/N)’s inner thigh, “She is rather beautiful, even if disfigured. I could give you pleasure slaves, or young ones to train in combat. One of Lady Opal’s slaves had some a few years ago.”  
  
Keeping a hand firmly on (Y/N)’s waist, he looks at Luke again, “I know the Rebellion is always looking for more supplies. Crandol has ships, large and small ones, speeders, fuel, ammunition, food, medicinal supplies. Name it, anything, and it’s yours. We have access to all the materials needed. No request is too high for such a lovely prize. You could destroy the Empire within the week.”  
  
Wedge sees the slight tensing of (Y/N)’s jaw before it relaxes, something he would have missed if not looking right at her. (Y/N) believes Luke will take the deal. She placed so little value on her own life and knew how important the Rebellion was to Luke. She had already accepted her fate before Luke had even said a word.  
  
Wedge dares to look away from (Y/N) to look at Luke. Everyone else at the table is looking at him already.  
  
“King Diel-Ka,” Mon Mothma speaks up as Luke opens his mouth, “We are not here to discuss-“  
  
“Quiet, woman,” the King says, “You are not the owner of this slave, so this deal doesn’t concern you.”  
  
He returns his attention to Luke, “Well, Commander Skywalker? What would you like?”  
  
Luke looks back at King Diel-Ka with hard eyes, “Like I said before, she isn’t for sale.”  
  
Wedge glances at (Y/N) to see her eyes widen a fraction in disbelief. The King asks, dumbfounded, with a comically shocked face, “Do you know what you’re turning down?”  
  
“My slave isn’t for sale. (Y/N), come here.”  
  
“Yes, Master,” (Y/N) says breathlessly and starts to walk back to Luke.  
  
King Diel-Ka snatches her chain possessively, bringing her to a halt as he says to Luke, “Commander Skywalker-“  
  
Luke cuts him off, “I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I’m not interested in a deal. We came here to discuss an arrangement between the Rebellion and your kingdom, not to partake in a trade. My slave and I don’t fall under your jurisdiction, so I ask that you release her chain immediately.”  
  
The King scowls but drops the chain, bound by his own kingdom’s rules. (Y/N) quickly returns to Luke’s side and kneels on the ground, placing her chain in his waiting hand. Wedge can see how her fists are tightly clenched where they rest on her legs.  
  
Wedge breathes a sigh of relief as the King and the members of his council all return to their seats and the real discussion begins.

~~~

Now back at the Hoth base, Wedge watches (Y/N) talk to Leia, with Luke next to her, about how to fix the speeders that were having issues about adapting to the extreme temperatures. She holds herself in a way that, if Wedge didn’t know better, he would think the whole incident had never occurred.  
  
But it had occurred and Wedge couldn’t stop playing it over in his head.  
  
The weakness (Y/N) had allowed Luke to see on the ship, her genuine fear of enslavement, was shocking. Wedge had never seen her unsteady or shaken before. Even when risking her life to protect Luke, she had never once been afraid. (Y/N) wasn’t afraid to die for Luke, but she was afraid to be enslaved and had let Luke know it. She had begged him to protect her, trusted him to hold her very life in his hands. 

She loves him. 

How hadn’t Wedge seen it before? The protectiveness, the way she tried to reign in her instincts to make him happy, the way she smiled at him, the way she never snapped at him, the way she had no regard for her own safety when it came to him. The way she trusted him with her life. Why had it taken such an extreme situation to point out something that was blatantly obvious to him now? He didn’t know. What he did know is that (Y/N) loves Luke. He feels a pang of sympathy for the assassin, because she probably doesn’t even know it herself. Wedge is familiar with the League of Shadows enough to know (Y/N) had never been shown kindness or love before. He knows that emotions had been beaten from her when she was just a child. She was in love with Luke and probably didn’t even realize it.  
  
He looks back at the two of them sitting at the table together. (Y/N)’s full attention seems to be on Leia, but Wedge has no doubt she is aware of how close Luke is to her. They are sitting so close, their legs have to be touching. It occurs to Wedge that Luke’s proximity to her is why (Y/N) is so calm. The comfort brought to her by knowing Luke is safe and near her, offering his own support in physical contact, made (Y/N) feel safe and secure even though she had believed she would be sold to brutal slavers just hours ago.  
  
Wedge glances at Luke, seeing the softness and concern in his eyes that always seems to be there was he looks at (Y/N). Wedge had been in full support of Luke’s decision to not sell (Y/N), he didn’t think anyone at the table or in the Rebellion would have made the deal. They all wanted the Empire to fall, but to trade a life for it made them no better than the enemy. Luke hadn’t hesitated. Not for even a split second had he thought of taking the deal. Wedge remembers Luke’s words (Y/N) had repeated to him on the ship. _You once told me that I was your responsibility too. Did you mean it?_ And he remembers the soft tone Luke had said ‘yes’ with.  
  
Wedge sits back in his seat as it dawns on him: Luke loves her.  
  
Luke loves (Y/N) too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clarify: Diel-Ka saw (Y/N)’s Shadow Marks when one of the men opens her mouth to examine her teeth. That is why he offers Luke anything he wants, Diel-Ka knows a Red Shadow on a leash is priceless.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a brief flashback in the first segment. The flashback is separated by ~~~ instead of the usual ***.

(Y/N) glances up at the soft sound of footsteps. Han soon passes through the doorway. Rieekan notices and straightens, “Solo?”  
  
“No sign of life out there, General. The sensors are in place. You’ll know if anything comes around.”   
  
“Commander Skywalker reported in yet?”   
  
“No,” Han replies, “He’s checking out a meteorite that hit near him.”   
  
Rieekan indicates the monitor in front of him, offering, “With all the meteor activity in this system. It’s going to be difficult to spot approaching ships.”   
  
Han takes a breath before saying, “General, I’ve got to leave. I can’t stay anymore.”   
  
Leia, who stands by (Y/N), finally looks over at Han. It was obvious to almost everyone on the base that Han and Leia had something unsaid going on between them, so (Y/N) isn’t surprised to see this draws her distressed attention.   
  
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Rieekan says genuinely.   
  
“Well there’s a price on my head. If I don’t pay off Jabba the Hutt, I’m a dead man,” Han says gruffly.   
  
“A death mark’s not an easy thing to live with. You’re a good fighter, Solo. I hate to lose you.”   
  
“Thank you, General.”   
  
Han walks closer to (Y/N) and Leia.   
  
(Y/N) meets him halfway, offering fast so she can go, “Don’t leave before Luke gets to say goodbye, he’ll never forgive you.”   
  
Han smirks, “I won’t,” understanding what she’s attempting to do.   
  
(Y/N) exits the room without preamble and heads towards the deck entrance Luke should be coming through soon. She finds a spot to sit that gives her full view of the deck and waits.   
  
She’s sorry to hear Han say he’s leaving. (Y/N) understands his situation more than others, because she’s in a similar one. Rieekan was right, living with a death mark isn’t easy. Every day she spends with the Rebellion is a day she spends away from the League. She’s playing a dangerous game with dangerous people, but she has a plan to handle it. Han needs to pay off Jabba, no ifs, ands, or buts. 

She had thought he had decided to stay. Chewie wanted to stay with the Rebellion, he had told (Y/N) of the suffering of his home planet and the other Wookiees at the hands of the Empire. He wanted it to fall as much as anyone else in the base. She knew Han wasn’t the biggest fan of the Empire either, he just kept his feelings close to his chest. But he liked Luke and Leia. That much was obvious. Han was a good man who secretly wanted more in life. That’s why (Y/N) had believed he had chosen to stay, regardless of the debt he owed. 

But then they had gone to Ord Mantell. The Falcon had needed some parts and Han had a connection on the planet. Luke had wanted to come, which meant (Y/N) had come along too. After getting the parts, they had gone to a cantina. 

~~~

(Y/N) sits with her back against the wall with Han next to her as he also preferred to watch the room. Luke sits across the table with his back to the room, unconcerned and totally comfortable, as (Y/N) still hadn’t been able to shake him of his trusting nature. A part of her was glad he retained a positive outlook though, she dreaded the day would come where she’d look into Luke’s blue eyes and see that they had lost their openness and hope. (Y/N) didn’t like that he wasn’t right by her side and easily protected, but he was close enough and Han was on the lookout too. 

(Y/N)’s eye is drawn to the Siniteen and his flare of color the moment he enters the cantina. He casually sits down, facing their table, and orders a drink. (Y/N) isn’t sure what it is about him that drew her attention, but she knows her intuition and instincts were seldom wrong.   
  
They are proven to be right once again by the way he stares at Han.   
  
“Han.”   
  
Han hums in question while Luke looks at her expectantly. 

She lifts her cup to cover her mouth incase he tries to read her lips, “The Siniteen a few tables away.”  
  
“I see,” Han replies as he looks at the other side of the bar, “A bit obsessed?”   
  
“Hasn’t looked away,” (Y/N) confirms, taking a sip. 

“Think he wants my autograph?” Han jokes. 

“Do you know him?”

“Nope.”  
  
“Well let’s change that.”   
  
Luke leans forward slightly, “What do you mean by that?”   
  
(Y/N) smirks at his tone. It’s the usual tone Luke gets when he’s suspicious of (Y/N).   
  
“We just want to get acquainted with him, Luke,” she answers sweetly, “That’s all.”   
  
Han laughs, which ruins her half hearted attempt to seem innocent.   
  
“(Y/N)...”   
  
“Don’t worry, Luke,” she says, standing, “I know what I’m doing.”   
  
(Y/N) clearly enunciates, “I’m going to get a refill,” before walking to the bar. She places her empty cup on the counter and slips the server some money, “Nothing to worry about.”   
  
The server nods while pocketing the money. (Y/N) walks past the Siniteen, grabbing the back of his collar as she goes, yanking him from the chair. Without breaking stride, (Y/N) continues to walk, dragging him behind her. The Siniteen yells angrily, trying to finding his footing as she meets up with Han and Luke at the door and exits the cantina.   
  
Once outside, (Y/N) tosses him onto the ground in front of her and plants a foot on his throat. She pulls her blaster and holds it trained on his head, “Don’t try anything.”   
  
The Siniteen stays still so (Y/N) glances at Han to speak. It’s then that he tries to grab his blaster but (Y/N) shoots the ground by his hand before it had barely twitches in the blaster’s direction.   
  
“That’s your warning, you won’t get another.”   
  
She looks at Han again, “Go ahead.”   
  
Knowing he’s beat, the Siniteen caves quickly, telling them Jabba had put a high bounty on Han’s head. Han is satisfied with that and says to her, “Okay, we’re done here.”   
  
(Y/N) promptly bends down and injects the Siniteen with a sedative.   
  
Luke bends down beside her and feels for a pulse, “What did you do to him?”   
  
“It’s a sedative and short-term memory erasure,” she assures him, “Besides someone stealing his wallet while he’s asleep, it’s harmless.”   
  
Luke looks at her in surprise. As often as she stops herself from using deadly force for his sake, Luke always manages to be surprised when she does. (Y/N) shrugs, dismissively, “I didn’t want another lecture on the way back to the base.”   
  
He blinks silently and uses her offered hand to straighten. 

~~~

The change in Han and Jabba’s relationship was clear. Han had stayed away too long, and now his life was at risk.   
  
(Y/N) looks towards the open doors and into the white nothingness. Luke is going to be devastated.   
  
She’s never had trouble being in one place for a long time, it comes with the territory of her line of work. However, she quickly finds herself tapping her foot. Luke should be back by now. Checking out a meteor doesn’t take that long.   
  
She stands and walks briskly to the other deck entrance. Approaching the deck officer immediately, she asks, “Has Commander Skywalker checked in?”   
  
The officer looks down at the pad in his hand, “Uh…no.”   
  
(Y/N) scowls, offering the offhand thanks Luke kept insisting she do more often, and leaves.   
  
She finds the Rogue Squadron guys in a nearby rec room, playing darts. She receives a chorus of greetings but they are quickly back to their game.   
  
“Have any of you-“   
  
“Hold on a sec,” Zev cuts her off, “I need to get at least a five to make it to the next round.”   
  
(Y/N) watches impatiently as Zev blindly tosses the dart over his shoulder before turning to see where it landed on the circle.   
  
“Have-“   
  
“Wait! It’s my turn,” Kit says, grabbing a dart.   
  
(Y/N)’s thin patience snaps and she stalks over. She snatches the dart from Kit’s hand and takes his place. Without pause, she tosses it behind her shoulder, not even bothering to look because she knows it hit the bullseye.   
  
“Have any of you seen Luke?”   
  
The guys shake off their shock and Hobbie speaks up, “Not since before he went on patrol with Han. Why?”   
  
“Did something happen?” Wedge asks.   
  
“I don’t know,” (Y/N) replies, already halfway to the door.   
  
The scurry of boots tells her they are following her.   
  
(Y/N) walks to where the Falcon is located, spotting Han standing with 3PO.   
  
“Han!”   
  
The man immediately turns to her, eyebrows raising at her posse, “Yeah?”   
  
“Something’s wrong. Luke should be back by now but no one has seen him.”   
  
Han nods, “I know, 3PO told me,” he indicates the deck officer who stands a short distance away, “He’s checking to see if he came in through the south entrance.”   
  
(Y/N) shakes her head, “I was already there. If he did then he didn’t check in, but that’s not like him. He might have come in since I left, though.”   
  
The group walks over to the deck officers whose eyes widen at the enlarged questioning party.   
  
“Sir,” one of them addresses Han, “Commander Skywalker hasn’t come in through the south entrance. He might have forgotten to check in.”   
  
Han frowns, echoing (Y/N), “Not likely.”   
  
(Y/N) shakes her head, “I don’t like this, Han. It’s getting dark, Luke knows better than to stay out there. Something must’ve happened.”   
  
Han nods at her in agreement before asking the officer, “Are the speeders ready?”   
  
“Not yet. We’re having some trouble adapting them to the cold.”   
  
Not completely correct. (Y/N) knew the Rogue Squadron had come up with a solution and a shipment of equipment was due in a week.   
  
“Then we’ll have to go out on Tauntauns.”   
  
“Sir,” the officer protests, “the temperature’s dropping too rapidly.”   
  
(Y/N) scowls at him while Han answers sharply, “That’s right. And my friend’s out in it.”   
  
Han’s already climbing on the Tauntaun while the officer continues to protest, “Your Tauntaun’ll freeze before you reach the first marker.”   
  
“Then I’ll see you in hell,” Han offers over his shoulder before spurring the Tauntaun onward.   
  
(Y/N) addressees the slightly stunned officer, “I’ll need a Tauntaun too. Saddle one while I go get a thicker coat,” before turning to leave.   
  
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”   
  
(Y/N)’s head snaps over, “I’m sorry?”   
  
“You can’t take one of our Tauntauns.”   
  
(Y/N) swallows her growl at the ‘our’. Even with the overall warming up to (Y/N) that had occurred over the past months, the Rebellion was still unwilling to give her any supplies.   
  
Fighting to remain calm, she says, “Commander Skywalker is out there, in a blizzard. At night. The only reason for him being out there is that something happened to him. It is my duty to go out and find him.”   
  
“You can’t go out in that.”   
  
“I wasn’t asking permission. I’m asking that you lend me a Tauntaun so I can go out and save him.”   
  
“You can’t have one.”   
  
(Y/N) clenches her fists, “He needs help. Are you going to risk his life for some petty bullshit? I’ll even saddle the damn thing myself. Just. Give. Me. A. Tauntaun.”   
  
“No.”   
  
(Y/N) snarls at him, “I swear,” she snatches his jacket, twisting it tightly in her fist, “if anything happens to Luke...”   
  
(Y/N) stops herself even though it makes her skin crawl. She releases her white knuckle grip, turns on her heel, and walks away.   
  
The guys follow in silence. (Y/N) returns to the deck entrance and glares at the white nothingness outside. Luke is out there. And she can’t go to him.   
  
“(Y/N),” Hobbie’s voice makes her look at the group.   
  
She snaps, “What?”   
  
“We’ll go out first thing in the morning,” he says in an attempt to soothe her rage.   
  
“We’ve got Tauntauns and can try to use the speeders,” Wedge offers.   
  
“The speeders aren’t ready yet, the supplies won’t be in for another week,” (Y/N) says shortly.   
  
“I know, but we could probably use them for a short while.”   
  
(Y/N) sighs, knowing that it won’t be enough. Luke could be anywhere.   
  
“I’m sorry, but that’s all we can do for now.”   
  
“Don’t worry, (Y/N),” Hobbie rests his hand on her shoulder. She lets it rest there instead of shaking it off. He squeezes her tense, ungiving muscles, “We’ll find him.”   
  
The guys leave her, a couple offering her assuring pats on the arm.   
  
(Y/N) pulls out her comlink, whose partner rests on Luke’s belt, “Luke? Can you hear me? Luke?”   
  
She gets no reply.   
  
(Y/N) lifts her hand, speaking into the comlink that she had found broken and discarded, proceeded to repair, and claim as her own, “Luke? Han? Can either of you hear me?”   
  
“(Y/N)?” Han’s voice comes in faintly.   
  
“Yes. Have you found Luke?”   
  
“Not y...“ his voice is choppy, “I’m near w...earlier...”   
  
“Are you okay?”   
  
“...t peachy...I...p...”   
  
“Han?”   
  
No reply.   
  
“Han?”   
  
Still no reply.   
  
(Y/N) lowers her arm. Han’s either out of range or the storm is causing interference.   
  
She stays by the door, continuing to occasionally reach out on her comlinks. No replies come.   
  
(Y/N) wants to go out there. Luke hadn’t returned for no reason. Something had happened. And this was very concerning for (Y/N) because Luke was important to her. He was the most important person to (Y/N) at this time in her life. He was the one whose service she was under, and he was also her friend. Luke was of great value to her and held in great esteem in her mind. More and more often (Y/N) found his colors solid and complete.   
  
The first time it had happened, they had been walking down one of the hallways of the base with R2. Luke had been talking about something, (Y/N) couldn’t remember what, because all thoughts had left her mind once glancing over at him. His colors with pure and edges clean, even his hair halo had disappeared. He looked like only (Y/N) did. She continued to look at him instead of in front of her as they walked. Luke had noticed her staring and glanced over, smiling nervously and asking, “What?”   
  
(Y/N) hadn’t known what to say, “...What?”   
  
“You’re looking at me like it’s the first time you’re actually seeing me,” Luke had replied with a strange tone.   
  
His colors had blurred then, mixing together. (Y/N) had watched with intense focus as the blue of his iris smeared up into his eyebrow before saying, “Would you believe me if I told you it was?”   
  
Luke had looked at her in suspicious amusement, “Did Han put you up to this?” and the conversation had resumed.   
  
From that moment on, Luke’s colors would constantly solidify. It seemed to be for random reasons, one time it would be after he quickly mastered a move with his lightsaber and another time they would already be solid when he sat down next to her for breakfast. They would break up for random things too, like Luke stumbling over an uneven part of the floor or the way he would say something as simple and unassuming as someone’s name. It still surprised (Y/N) every time it happened, that she saw someone as clearly as she saw herself, but she got better at hiding it. It was a strange phenomenon and one she couldn’t talk about with anyone because no one else saw the world the way (Y/N) did. She didn’t know what to make of this development, that Luke was considered something unique. More than an object or a regular person. An equal? Did (Y/N) consider Luke an equal? A strange concept, all things considered. (Y/N) could easily beat him in a fight. Luke wasn’t as good a fighter, he didn’t strategize for or anticipate every scenario and contingency like she did. Luke wouldn’t be able to perform missions now that (Y/N) completed with ease when she was a small child. He had morals, was loyal and trusting, and as a result was weak. Yet (Y/N) valued him above all others and recognized something in him that couldn’t be explained.   
  
And all this knowledge does for (Y/N) is make her want to go out into the blizzard even more. And she knows she could easily just take a Tauntaun. But she also knows it’s risky. It’s almost dark now and she could easily get lost or attacked by some creature. And that would mean that when the Rebellion began searching in the morning, some would search for her, pulling away from the search for Han and Luke. She can’t go out. 

But she can do work here.   
  
The doors creak loudly and start to shut. (Y/N) knew this was coming, they couldn’t leave the blast doors open all night. The doors come together with a resonating clang. Chewie roars loudly behind her and it echoes through the deck. (Y/N) knocks her knuckles against the metal door before her in promise and walks away. 

(Y/N) watches Leia exit the deck, worry coloring her face. She grabs a tool from Han’s toolbox that he had left at the Falcon’s ramp. (Y/N) strides over to the large tool shed and breaks the locks on the doors. Fuck the Rebellion’s no share policy.   
  
Chewie roars at her in question.   
  
She walks back over to him and the droids, “They need the speeders in order to find Han and Luke. The Tauntauns move too slow and can’t cover that great of a distance.”   
  
“But, Miss (Y/N), the parts aren't here yet,” 3PO protests.   
  
“I know. But the speeders need to be ready by morning.”   
  
Chewie barks.   
  
“Ok, so the problem with the speeders is the cold messes with the mechanics and doesn’t allow prolonged flight because the gears and everything get frozen up. The parts coming in are supposed to create a heating system to counter the cold. But the speeders already have built in cooling systems because normally the problem is the engines get overheated.”   
  
Chewie growls.   
  
“Exactly, if we were to convert a part of the cooling system into a heating system, it should serve as a temporary fix for the problem. We leave the cooling system for the engine and other central parts alone, because if that gets too hot, we’re screwed. But if we were to warm the exterior parts, the problem area, I don’t see why they couldn’t fly tomorrow morning.”

Chewie scratches his head.   
  
(Y/N) shrugs, “It should work. And if it doesn’t, it’s easy to reverse back.”   
  
R2 beeps in confirmation.   
  
Chewie nods, letting out a huge roar in agreement. He lumbers over to the tool shed and starts pulling out supplies. (Y/N) walks over to where the speeders are tucked away and climbs in the first one.

***

The next morning, before the sun has risen, Leia walks into the deck. She rubs her tired eyes, having not slept more than a couple hours out of worry for Luke and Han. 

She’s shocked by what greets her. All of the speeders have been removed from their designated area and are splayed out across the open space near the blast doors. Their panels have been removed and lay in organized piles, leaving engines and the other internal mechanics exposed.   
  
Chewie is crouched down, welding things together. (Y/N)’s legs are the only thing visible from where she is upside down in a speeder, tinkering away. 3PO and R2 are bringing them pieces and tools, carrying and dragging respectively. They’ve clearly been at this all night.   
  
3PO is the one to notice her, “Oh! Good morning, Princess.”   
  
“What are you guys doing?”   
  
(Y/N) pokes her head out of the speeder, “Fixing the speeders.”   
  
Leia glances around, “How?”   
  
“We’re making the natural cooling systems into heating systems.”   
  
“Is it working?”   
  
(Y/N) climbs out of the speeder completely, “We haven’t been able to go outside, obviously, but the brief tests we’ve done inside say it is.”   
  
Leia nods, immediately on board, “What can I do?”   
  
(Y/N) glances at Chewie, “We only have two more speeders to fix, and I know what to do...can you look at the ones already completed? Check the valves are tightens and the system is secure. We’ve marked the areas we changed with red. Once everything is good, put the panels back in place. When I finish installing, I’ll start doing that too.”   
  
“Okay.” Leia grabs a tool and walks over to the closest speeder.   
  
About an hour later, Leia looks up from the speeder she is working on to see the Rogue Squadron had arrived at some point. They’re running around, checking speeders and closing panels. She had been so wrapped up in her task, Leia hadn’t even noticed the deck had come to life around her. She can see officers walking around, Tauntauns being saddled.   
  
(Y/N) taps her shoulder, “Leia.” She speaks with a tone that says she’s called for Leia a couple times.   
  
“Sorry, what?”   
  
“Is this one good? They’re opening the doors.”   
  
Leia glances down, “Oh, yes.”   
  
(Y/N) walks to the other side and starts putting the panels back in place, calling out, “Hobbie.”   
  
The blaster doors groan loudly and start to open. Natural sunlight, heightened by the white snow, begins to fill the deck.   
  
Leia watches Hobbie run over, “She ready?”   
  
(Y/N) nods, “Yes, you’re good to go.”   
  
“Thanks,” he puts his helmet on.   
  
Hobbie touches (Y/N)’s arm briefly and Leia is surprised she doesn’t pull away, “Don’t worry, (Y/N). We’ll get them.”   
  
Leia can see the tension in (Y/N)’s body remains but the tightness around her eyes gives a little at his words.   
  
Hobbie hops in the speeder and starts flipping switches. The other speeders jump to life around them and start to move for the door.   
  
Leia and (Y/N) walk amongst them towards the Falcon, getting safely out of the way.   
  
The last of the speeders flies out without issue, disappearing from view.   
  
Chewie makes his way over to them, growling reassuringly.

***

“So let’s hear it.”  
  
“What?” (Y/N) asks without looking away from her holopad.   
  
Leia, Han, Chewie, and the droids had all finally left from visiting Luke in his temporary room. (Y/N) had gotten there before all of them, claimed the seat in the corner, and watched the groups’ interactions silently. Her face had been its usual blank expression from the moment she entered the room. She didn’t need Luke to know how worried she had been about him, she didn’t want him to know how bad the situation had looked.   
  
Luke is slumped in his seated position, clearly more exhausted than he had let on in front of the others. He looks at her now with tired eyes, “I’m sure there’s some lecture you’ve been working on about how I should be more aware of my surroundings or be more careful.”   
  
(Y/N) looks at him sharply, making Luke flinch slightly. It’s not often she’s harsh in her movements with him anymore.   
  
“Why would I do that?”

Luke blinks, saying unsurely, “I got attacked by a Wampa.”  
  
(Y/N) raises her eyebrow and says calmly, “I don’t see why that’s your fault. Your Tauntaun got attacked, killed, and eaten. Meanwhile, you managed to escape almost completely unscathed. I don’t know why I should yell at you for surviving.”   
  
Luke’s eyebrows lift up in surprise, “Okay?”   
  
(Y/N) looks away from him, back to her holopad, unable to look at his face. The pink color of the thin lines of his wounds bled across into unmarred skin. She couldn’t bare to look at Luke and be reminded of her failure to protect him. The knowledge alone burned viciously in her stomach, she didn’t need to see his whole face turned red from blurred color to remind her.   
  
Shuffling draws (Y/N)’s attention back to the bed. Luke is carefully moving to lay down, wincing slightly as he did so. Without thought, (Y/N) stands and helps him move into a completely horizontal position. She yanks at the blanket to loosen it from the sterile precision employed by the medical droid so Luke can pull it further up his body. Unable to resist, (Y/N) glances at his face, barely stopping the shudder that wants to run through her body as the pink wounds swirl up to muddy his blue eyes.   
  
“When was the last time you slept?” Luke asks, barely more than a whisper.   
  
(Y/N) ignores the question and manipulates the light switch by his head to make the room darker.   
  
“(Y/N)?”   
  
“Focus on your own rest,” she says, adjusting the sheet again.   
  
His hand twitches, “I can see the bags under your eyes.”   
  
(Y/N) glares half-heartedly at Luke before saying, “Han said you were calling for Ben when he found you.”   
  
Luke sighs loudly to let (Y/N) know he doesn’t appreciate her changing the subject, “He came to me in a vision.”   
  
“The Force can do that?”   
  
“I guess so,” Luke shrugs, “He told me to go to the Dagobah system and find a Jedi Master named Yoda.”   
  
(Y/N) frowns in thought, “The Dagobah system...I’ve never been there. And not without reason, I’m pretty sure it’s uncivilized.”   
  
Luke makes a noncommittal noise.   
  
“What are you going to do?”

“I’ve got to go. Even if it’s nothing, I have to know for sure.”  
  
“Alright,” she nods, “When are we leaving?”   
  
“We?”   
  
(Y/N) looks at Luke and says with exasperation, “You think I’m letting you go to a completely different planet alone? You can’t even go on a simple patrol without getting mauled by a Wampa. You’re useless.”   
  
Luke smiles at her before closing his eyes.   
  
(Y/N) looks back down at her holopad. She sighs silently and puts it on the ground next to her chair. She pulls her feet onto the chair and curls up tightly to try and get some rest herself.   
  
A few moments later, (Y/N) finds herself looking at Luke again. His eyes are closed but she can tell by his breathing that he’s still awake. She says softly, “I’m glad you’re alright.”   
  
(Y/N) closes her eyes and tries to relax. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Nothing about mechanics, so I’m sure (Y/N) and Chewie’s plan makes no sense but *hand wave* it’s a galaxy far far away just let it happen lol. Watching ESB I always wondered how the speeders are suddenly ready to go in the morning, when it is made quite clear they aren’t compatible with the cold the night before, so I figured (Y/N) could do something to answer that. @ Bob Iger and Kathleen Kennedy, if you want to spend two hundred million dollars fixing this plot hole, please contact me.
> 
> Also, (Y/N) telling Luke he’s useless is a reference to the final scene in My Cousin Vinny, a movie I adore. She doesn’t mean it, Luke knows she’s just teasing him.


	8. Chapter 8

The Empire had found the rebel base. And it was on its way. 

The base was in disarray as everyone scrambled to transfer everything to the larger ships. The hope was that the evacuation could already be underway, if not over, by the time the Empire arrived. 

(Y/N) wasn’t very optimistic about that. 

Luke had recovered quickly and was to lead the Rogue Squadron in response to any potential Imperial land assault along side Wedge. And then he and (Y/N) would leave for the Dagobah system, as opposed to heading towards the determined rendezvous point.    
  
Now (Y/N) just needed a ship. Which is why she stood before the Council.    
  
“I need a ship.”   
  
Technically speaking, she did have a ship. The Naboo model ship she had taken while rescuing the guys with Luke was still in her possession. That was something she had personally seen to. (Y/N) had thoroughly enjoyed interrupting an important Council meeting to demand answers on why rebels had been loading the ship to go on a mission and then to threaten to blow the ship up if they weren’t off of it by the time she got back to the deck. Hobbie had gotten a kick out of watching her disarm the uppity grey rebel that had tried to strong arm her out of the room, asking that she teach him the trick she used to take his blaster from him. 

“You already have a ship, you made sure of that.”

“I don’t need a big ship,” (Y/N) explains, “I need a small ship, like a one man fighter.”   
  
“Why?” a mostly grey leader asks.    
  
“I have my reasons, the likes of which don’t concern you.”   
  
She returns her gaze to the more colorful leaders. (Y/N) knew what the answer would be before she came here, so she continues before they can speak, “In exchange, you may borrow my ship.”   
  
The Empire is on their way, the Rebellion needed to move people and supplies off this planet as quickly as possible. Her larger ship would be more useful in the evacuation efforts than a one man fighter.    
  
“I’ll take it back when I join you at the rendezvous point. Until then, it’s yours to use.”   
  
Ackbar nods, “Very well.”   
  
“Take care of my ship,” (Y/N) says casually, unable and unwilling to avoid the underlying threat everyone probably heard, and walks out the room without another word.    
  
She finds Luke as he walks away from the Falcon, offering, “Luke. I got a ship. I’ll be waiting for you with R2.”   
  
“Great!” he exclaims, “How’d you manage that?”   
  
“My sparkling personality of course,” (Y/N) deadpans which makes Luke laughs. She allows the shadow of a smile to show on her face. Luke’s coloration had returned to normal, the faint pink of his scarring stayed in place, which made it easier for (Y/N) to relax. She answers for real, “I let them borrow my ship.”   
  
“The Naboo one? You should probably name that thing, by the way.”   
  
(Y/N) hums, “I probably should, let me know if you think of any good names.”   
  
They walk in silence for a moment, but she can feel Luke’s tentative gaze.    
  
“What?”   
  
“Can you make sure everyone gets away?”   
  
“Of course.”    
  
Luke looks away from her, “Thanks.”   
  
They approach his speeder that Dak is already sitting in, “Feeling alright, sir?”   
  
“Just like new, Dak. How about you?” Luke answers as he climbs in.    
  
“Right now I feel like I could take on the whole Empire myself.”   
  
“I know what you mean,” Luke says more to himself than Dak.    
  
“We’ll see you at the rendezvous point, (Y/N),” Dak says cheerfully.    
  
(Y/N) nods, “Good luck, Dak. Luke, I’ll be waiting.”   
  
Both guys nod before taking off.    
  
(Y/N) turns to walk away but is blocked by a grey rebel from another squadron. She isn’t sure of his name, as it’s been never relevant to her.   
  
(Y/N) moves to step around him but he moves with her.    
  
“Can I help you?” (Y/N) asks with a bored tone.    
  
“You aren’t going out to fight?”   
  
(Y/N) rolls her eyes, “No.”   
  
“Why not? Don’t you want the Empire to fall? Don’t you feel a sense of duty or responsibility?”   
  
“Hey! Back off, man,” Hobbie’s voice comes from behind (Y/N).    
  
(Y/N) ignores the sound of approaching footsteps, “My opinion on the Empire is none of your concern and no, I don’t feel either of those things. I was willing to feel those things, but the Rebellion turned me down. You shut that door, slammed it really because you all tried to throw me into a cell, you can’t just open it now that it becomes you.”   
  
The rebel rolls his eyes, “Quite the speech from Skywalker’s attack dog.”   
  
“Don’t talk about her like that,” Hobbie now stands next to her, posture tight with readiness to step between (Y/N) and the other. (Y/N) glances at him briefly, noting how colorful he looks today. Once one of the most distrusting of her, Hobbie is now one of the handful of rebels (Y/N) considers a friend. And he was a valuable one too, playing a huge role in the overall perception of her at the base. (Y/N) isn’t surprised Hobbie has come to her defense, he is always quick to her side once spotting her.   
  
(Y/N) responds with a laugh, “Skywalker’s attack dog? That’s a good one, haven’t heard that before.”   
  
The guy glares at her.   
  
“Oh, I’m sorry, was that not the response you expected?” (Y/N) asks with mock sympathy, “Well let me explain why that is: I don’t give a Bantha’s left nut about your opinion. I don’t care if you call me Luke’s attack dog or anything else, it doesn’t matter. I’m only here because of him, so his opinion is the only one that means anything to me. Come on, Hobbie, Kesin is waiting for you.”   
  
Hobbie levels the rebel with a hard glare that makes (Y/N) smirk and they walk away.    
  
They stop at the side of Hobbie’s speeder where Kesin has been walking them. He asks anxiously, “Are you okay, (Y/N)? Did he try anything?”   
  
“I’m fine,” (Y/N) scoffs, “Moof milker thinks he can bother me with petty insults.”   
  
Hobbie climbs into the speeder, “We’ll see you at the rendezvous point, okay?”   
  
(Y/N) nods, gracing him with a genuine smile, “Be safe.”   
  
Hobbie replies with a blinding smile and the speeder takes off. Kesin waves at her through the window.    
  
(Y/N) exits the deck, stepping in where she can to help people leave. She carries supplies, helps the last people in the medical wing onto transports with a bedside manner that may leave something to be desired but is efficient, and does what she can to speed the process along. She listens to the occasional information provided over the coms, as well as the muffled explosions of the fighting and attacks on the base itself.   
  
When (Y/N) hears the command center has been hit, she drops the cargo she was carrying onto the shuttle’s floor and takes off for the center. That’s where Leia will be.    
  
She’s greeted by Han, Leia, and 3PO outside the center.    
  
“Everyone’s already left,” Han provides.    
  
“And Imperials have entered the base,” Leia adds.    
  
“Then we need to get the hell out of here,” (Y/N) concludes.    
  
“I concur, Miss (Y/N),” 3PO says as the group takes off the way (Y/N) had come.    
  
They dash through the hallways. (Y/N) listens to the booms that sound from above and watches how the snow breaks loose from the walls. She can hear Han and Leia right behind her. 

(Y/N) hears a heavy noise over their heads and she turns, pushing Han and Leia back as a loud explosion sounds overhead and the ceiling collapses. Leia shouts in alarm. Heavy snow and ice falls on top of (Y/N), but largely misses the other two as Han shields Leia with his body.    
  
Leia crouches down by (Y/N) once everything settles, “Are you okay?”   
  
“Fine,” (Y/N) grinds out, “Go!”   
  
“Transport, this is Solo,” Han says into his comlink, “Better take off. I can’t get to you, I’ll get the Princess out on the Falcon.”   
  
Han crouches down, taking in (Y/N)’s buried body.    
  
“Forget me,” (Y/N) says, twisting the best she can to push at the snow, “You need to get out of here, now. The Imperials are here.”   
  
“We can’t leave you,” Leia counters as she heaves away a huge chunk of snow.    
  
“Go!” (Y/N) barks over the flair of pain.    
  
“Not without you,” Han snaps back, pulling away the ice.    
  
(Y/N) scowls and claws her way forward, digging her fingers into the snowy floor. Her feet start to move as the pressure pinning them is relieved. She eventually scrambles out from the snow with the help of Leia pulling her from under the arms.    
  
(Y/N) stands, brushing flakes from her hair, “Let’s go.”   
  
The group takes off again with 3PO hurrying after them in frantically.    
  
Her com beeps as R2 contacts her from Luke’s x-wing as the Falcon comes into view.    
  
“Go,” she replies, “I’m on my way.”   
  
Han and Leia hurry past her, “We’ll see you later.”   
  
“See you,” she replies.    
  
“Miss (Y/N),” 3PO says, “Do keep an eye on Master Luke, please.”   
  
“I always do, 3PO.”   
  
“Come on, goldenrod,” Han shouts, “or you’re going to be a permanent resident.”   
  
“Wait!” 3PO yells, “Wait!”   
  
(Y/N) returns Chewie’s wave from the cockpit before leaving.    
  
Her one person ship waits for her in the deck. (Y/N) creeps towards it, ducking behind pillars and abandoned machinery to avoid the Imperial troops who march in from the open blast doors.    
  
She scales the ladder up to the cockpit and climbs in. (Y/N) chucks an explosive across the deck over the heads of the troops which detonates against the far wall. All the troops look over and (Y/N) quickly turns on the ship, which she had warmed up earlier, and flies out of the deck before any of the Imperials can even look back over to her.    
  
(Y/N) guides her ship to land by R2 near the aftermath of the battle. (Y/N) opens her cockpit and R2 whistles at her in greeting. Luke starts to climb into his own cockpit and R2 beeps impatiently.    
  
“Don’t worry, R2. We’re going. We’re going. Hey, (Y/N).”   
  
(Y/N) waits patiently for Luke to buckle in. Their two ships take off together and blast away from the frozen tundra, into the cold space beyond.  


***  


(Y/N) maneuvers her ship through the foggy atmosphere slowly. Part of her training with the League was learning the different planets of the galaxy. She vaguely remembers the Dagobah system being swampy, or something adjacent, and the heavy fog and high life form readings but no technology supports this.    
  
She’s lost visual of Luke, but knows they approached the planet very close together.    
  
Tree branches appear out of nowhere but (Y/N) remains calm, knowing her ship will withstand. She ignores the beeping of different systems and fruitlessly attempts to see through the fog. (Y/N) brings out her landing gear and brings her ship lower and lower, smacking trees left and right. Her ship eventually hits the ground, coming to rest in a small clearing that was probably partially made by her ship.    
  
(Y/N) pops her cockpit open and climbs down, examining the area around her. She’s definitely in the middle of a swamp, but the ground where she landed seems solid. (Y/N) jumps up and down a few times. She should be alright here.    
  
Now to find Luke. (Y/N) pulls out her comlink, “Luke?”   
  
No answer.    
  
(Y/N) groans softly in irritation and starts to unload. She grabs the few packs and hears a loud crash to her right. Slinging the packs onto her left side and pulling the blaster from her holster, (Y/N) heads in that direction.    
  
Her weapon proves to be unneeded, as the source of the noise was Luke. She takes in the scene before her: Luke’s x-wing half submerged in murky water and R2 covered in sludge, spewing a black oily substance.    
  
The sound of her reholstering her blaster makes Luke look up.    
  
“Rough landing?”   
  
Luke blushes, “Not my best.”

“Is R2 alright?”

“He says so.”

(Y/N) looks at the droid before saying, “There’s some more sturdy ground that way,” she throws a thumb over her shoulder, “I say we set up there.”   
  
Luke stands, “Alright,” and starts to make his way back to his x-wing.    
  
“Come on, R2,” (Y/N) calls over her shoulder, heading back towards her own ship.    
  
(Y/N) finds a small, natural clearing and dumps her packs on the ground. R2 wheels after her, beeping casually as he takes in the surroundings.    
  
“I don’t know what kind of person would want to live here,” she responds, “Stay here, I left some stuff at my ship.”   
  
R2 whistles.    
  
(Y/N) feels a prickling on the back of her neck and her hand twitches near her holster. Mentally shaking herself, (Y/N) hurries back to her ship so she can return to the campsite quicker.    
  
When she returns, Luke has plugged R2 in and is pulling out his food pack.    
  
At her footsteps, Luke’s head snaps over, but he relaxes upon seeing its her.    
  
“You feel it too?” (Y/N) asks casually. This is the second time her approach has made Luke tense. He doesn’t trust this place either.    
  
Luke hums in response.    
  
(Y/N) dumps the last of her supplies on the ground and sits on a sturdy box near Luke.    
  
She glances at him, a thought nagging at her mind as it had for the majority of the trip to Dagobah. When she had sat in her ship on Hoth, waiting for Luke to climb into his own, there hadn’t been many orange-suited men boarding the nearby shuttle. And she had seen the large, mechanical beasts that had made up the Imperial ground assault when she had fled the compromised base.    
  
“How did the assault go?”   
  
The air seems to leave Luke, “We lost a lot of the guys.”   
  
(Y/N) feels a strange lump in her throat. 

Luke sighs, “Wedge, Wes, Tarrin made it,” he runs a hand through his hair, “but Zev and Hobbie...Dak,” he looks down.    
  
(Y/N) swallows the lump, but isn’t sure of what to do about the pang she feels in her chest. Zev, one of the first rebels to show her kindness outside of Luke’s closest friends. And Hobbie, someone who had hated her at first, but ended up the closest to her of all the guys. Dak, one of the youngest of the squadron, had always been a positive voice during darker times. (Y/N) knew more had died but Luke couldn’t bring himself to list them all.    
  
She places a warm hand on his arm.    
  
(Y/N) would miss the ones lost, something that was unexpected. She couldn’t think of anyone in her past that she missed. Not her fellow Shadows nor the people she became acquainted with on longer missions. But she would miss Hobbie’s wicked sense of humor, Zev’s boisterous laughter that filled a room no matter the size, Dak’s youthful spirit, and many more things.    
  
Luke leaned in the brief touch silently before straightening, “Now all we have to do is find this Yoda,” he passes (Y/N) a food pack, “if he even exists.”   
  
He takes a bite of food and looks around, a look of confused wonder on his face, “You know...there’s something familiar about this place. I feel like...”   
  
An unexpected croaky voice asks, “Feel like what?”   
  
(Y/N)’s on her feet in a flash, blaster out and fires a warning shot that hits the log at the feet of a small, green creature.    
  
Luke spins around a second after her, own blaster at the ready, “Like we’re being watched.”   
  
The small creature raises his hands in front of his face, ”Away with your weapons. I mean you no harm.”   
  
(Y/N) does no such thing. She doesn’t trust this creature and all his green coloring that flies around the air around him. He found them far too quickly for such a large planet. She stands close to Luke, so close his shoulder brushes her leg, ready to protect. 

“I am wondering,” the creature asks, still cowering, “why are you here?”   
  
“We could ask you the same thing,” (Y/N) replies accusingly.    
  
Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Luke glance up at her, “We’re looking for someone.”  


(Y/N) looks back briefly before returning her critical gaze to the creature who peers around his hands, “Looking? Found someone, you have, I would say, hmm?” and laughs.    
  
“Right,” Luke says tentatively, lowering his weapon.    
  
“Help you I can,” the creature nods, “Yes, hmm.”   
  
Luke laughs shortly, “I don’t think so. I’m looking for a great warrior.”   
  
(Y/N) reclaims her seat only after Luke pointedly tugs at her pant leg, but doesn’t put away her blaster.    
  
The creature moves closer, “Ahh! Great warrior,” he laughs and shakes his head, “Wars not make one great.”   
  
The creature, with the aid of a small walking stick, makes his way into their camp. Luke stands and moves out of his way while (Y/N) remains in her seat and watches him carefully.    
  
He grabs Luke’s discarded food and takes a bite while Luke protests, “Put that down. Hey!” and snatches the food from him, “That’s my dinner!”   
  
The creature spits out the bite, “How you get so big, eating food of this find?” and (Y/N) puts her own dinner away before he gets any ideas.   
  
He climbs into a container while Luke addresses him in a tone that says he’s already tired of the creature’s antics, “Listen, friend, we didn’t mean to land in that puddle, and if we could get our ship out we would, but we can’t. So why don’t you just...”   
  
Luke stops talking as the creature starts to mock him, “Aww, cannot get your ship out?” while crawling into a container. R2 beeps angrily in protest.    
  
“Hey, get out of there!” Luke looks at (Y/N) in exasperation as she does nothing in response to all of this and (Y/N) sends back a look, “You’re the one who wanted to have a conversation with the little toad, he’s your problem.”   
  
He sighs and reaches into the container and pulls out some small machine before the creature can, “You could have broken that,” handing it to (Y/N).    
  
“No!” The creature protests having the machine taken from him and starts carelessly throwing the other stuff once held within the container over his shoulder.    
  
“Don’t do that,” Luke says tiredly, moving to pick up the discarded supplies, “You’re making a mess.”   
  
The creature laughs happily upon finding a small flashlight, pointing it in (Y/N)’s face as he returns to the ground.   
  
Luke notices the flashlight, “Hey,” and tries to take it.    
  
The creature pulls away, clutching the light to his chest, “Mine! Or I will help you not.”   
  
Luke huffs, “I don’t want your help, I want my lamp back. I’m going to need it to get out of this slimy mud hole.”   
  
“Mud hole?!” The creature says insulted, “Slimy? My home this is.”   
  
R2’s extendable arm had slowly been reaching out during this exchange and now grabs the light from the creature. The creature makes a loud noise in protest and a tug of war begins.    
  
The creature reaches for his walking stick while Luke says in resignation, “R2, let him have it.”   
  
But R2 has never been one to follow orders or give up in a fight, so he keeps a grip on the light. The creature starts hitting R2 with his walking stick while yelling, “Mine! Mine! Mine!” which prompts Luke to says firmly, “R2!”   
  
R2 releases the light and retracts his arm. The creature smacks R2’s small compartment with a triumphant giggle.    
  
“Now will you move along, little fella?” Luke asks, fed up, “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”   
  
“No! No, no! Stay and help you, I will,” the creature laughs, “Find your friend, hmm?”   
  
“I’m not looking for a friend,” Luke retorts, “I’m looking for a Jedi Master.”   
  
“Ohh. Jedi Master. Yoda,” (Y/N)’s eyes narrow in suspicion as the name leaves the creature’s mouth, “You seek Yoda.”   
  
Luke crouches down to come level with the creature, “You know him?”   
  
“Hmm. Take you to him, I will,” the creature laughs again, “Yes, yes. But now, we must eat. Come. Good food. Come.”   
  
The creature starts to walk away. Luke watches him for a moment, before looking down in contemplation.    
  
The creature waves the light several yards away, “Come, come!”   
  
R2 beeps inquiringly. 

Luke looks at the two of them, “Watch the camp.”   
  
(Y/N) approaches Luke as he stands, saying quietly incase the creature is listening, “I don’t trust him.”   
  
Luke glances towards where the creature had vanished, but (Y/N) doesn’t worry. She has no doubt the creature is waiting just beyond sight. He won’t leave without Luke.    
  
“You think he’s trouble?” Luke’s hand moves aimlessly near his holstered blaster.    
  
“Not necessarily,” (Y/N) says, crossing her arms, “but he’s hiding something. Use caution.”   
  
Luke looks at her in surprise, “You think I should go?”   
  
(Y/N) replies flatly, “You were planning on going before I said anything. If I told you not to, would you listen?”   
  
Luke makes a face, “I need to find Yoda.”   
  
“Exactly,” (Y/N) says, “So I won’t bother. Plus, I doubt the toad will leave us alone if you didn’t go.”   
  
Luke snorts at her nickname for the creature before nodding, “I’ll be back.”   
  
“I’ll be here,” (Y/N) calls after him as he walks away.    
  
Once Luke disappears from sight, R2 whistles pointedly. (Y/N) walks over, “I know,” and unhooks him, “Call me if anything happens.”   
  
The astrodroid raspberries before wheeling after Luke.    
  
(Y/N) shakes her head and resumes her dinner. It doesn’t last long, as (Y/N) finds she agrees with the creature about the taste. So she focuses on getting the camp set up. She makes the clearing a little tidier by cleaning up sticks, rolling a small, fallen tree to the side, and cleaning up the mess the creature made. (Y/N) organizes the containers and supplies, and then sets up their beds. The beds aren’t much, the structure more like a folding table then a bed frame. Still, they will serve their purpose as well as keep them off the wet ground. She puts down the pillows and blankets packed and sets about putting up the tarps.    
  
(Y/N) grimaces as she reaches above her head to tie the tarps to the trees around the clearing. Her ribs were bruised from the snow ceiling falling on her. Her shoulder was also a little tender. (Y/N) pushes the pain from her mind and continues working.    
  
She wonders absently how Luke is doing. He and R2 have been away for a while, but she doesn’t worry. They both carry means of communication so if anything bad happened, they would have contacted her.    
  
“(Y/N),” Luke’s voice announces their return.    
  
The slight grimace on her face slides off like water as she glances over her shoulder, “Hey.”   
  
(Y/N) ties the last knot before putting away her supplies. Luke’s looking around the campsite, “You did all this?”   
  
“No one else here,” she says, closing the container, “How was the toad’s food?”   
  
Luke wrinkles his nose, “It tasted like roof tar.”   
  
(Y/N) snorts.    
  
“And he’s Yoda.”   
  
(Y/N) straightens, “What happened?”   
  
Luke claims one of the beds and (Y/N) sits on the other, angling her body to face him.    
  
“He wouldn’t train me because I was too old.”   
  
(Y/N) scowls, “It hardly seems like he has room to judge when it comes to age.”   
  
Luke looks down at his hands, hiding a small smile.    
  
“Wait,” (Y/N) gets even more annoyed, “So the Jedi Master Ben specifically told you to seek out refused to train you? What, is he too busy squatting in this dump to be bothered?”   
  
Luke shrugs, “I don’t know. He said I was impatient and had too much anger in me, like my father did apparently.”   
  
“What the hell does that mean? He acted like an animal and you weren’t supposed to get annoyed?” (Y/N) sighs in frustration, “Alright. So he refused to train you...now what?”   
  
Luke shakes his head, “No, he agreed to train me. Ben convinced him.”   
  
(Y/N) scowls, “I don’t like this Yoda. He needed the disembodied voice of a dead guy to tell him to train you?”   
  
Luke shrugs, “I think there’s more to the story.”   
  
“Anything he’s willing to tell?”   
  
“Doubtful.”   
  
“Well he needs to move on then,” (Y/N) scoffs.    
  
Luke looks up at her appreciatively, “Maybe tomorrow will be better.”


	9. Chapter 9

Tomorrow isn’t better. 

Yoda had agreed to train Luke, but that didn’t mean he had to be particularly eager or encouraging. 

He is impatient and tends to focus on the negative. He expects Luke to be further in development than he is, and when Luke fails to meet the impossible standards, Yoda reacts poorly. Shakes his head, grumbles under his breath. (Y/N) can see how Luke’s shoulders slump with every admonishment. 

And it annoys (Y/N). That isn’t the right way to train Luke, or really anyone. Even in the League when someone was just starting, the instructor used patience and restraint. It was short-lived, as it was expected the Shadow learn the lesson almost immediately, but still. And Luke isn’t even a Shadow! He’s a civilian trying to learn the ways of the Force. Yoda is clearly from a time where the Jedi had been numerous and training had begun as young children. Luke isn’t. He’s a grown man who had probably never heard of the Force before a few years ago. 

(Y/N)’s understanding of the Force is very limited. But based off what Yoda has said, Luke needs to unlearn what he knows in order to become a proper Force user. And that is quite the task to ask of him. 

It doesn’t get better the next day. Or the day after that. 

Luke struggles to grasp and perform what Yoda considers ‘basic concepts’. He tries, but there’s almost always something that causes him to stumble.   
  
(Y/N) doesn’t have much to do on Dagobah, beyond occasionally fixing the camp or hunting for food. She refused to eat the packed food Luke had brought, resorting to hunting the small snakes and other lizards she could find. After eventually gaining access to Yoda’s house, or rather (Y/N) got tired of not being permitted and let herself in, she raids his kitchen. Determining the edible leaves, stems, and roots of local plant life, (Y/N) harvests her own supply. Luke doesn’t even question what she places before him, he just eats it, grateful to not have to eat the packed food or any of Yoda’s roof tar soup. For the most part, (Y/N) watches Luke’s training. Yoda protests, insisting that its a sacred process she couldn’t observe. But (Y/N) doesn’t care and tells him just that.    
  
On the second day, he waved his clawed hand in a meaningful way, “Away you will go.”    
  
(Y/N) had pretended to ponder his words as if they are merely a suggestion instead of an attempted mind trick before saying sweetly, “No, I don’t think I will.”   
  
Yoda stops telling her to leave shortly after that, given her stubbornness and Luke siding with her. He still glares at her a lot and, while (Y/N) finds it beneath her to glare back, she doesn’t have issue telling him “Sit on it, you can,” while waving her hand at him. Luke bursts out laughing at that, to the point that he has to bend and rest his hands on his knees to keep from falling over. He stops abruptly when Yoda turns his glare on him, but giggles like a child all over again that night at the camp.    
  
She still trains Luke with his lightsaber, the one area Yoda makes no effort in. (Y/N)’s never even seen his saber, so there’s a chance there isn’t one. After Yoda dismisses Luke for the day, not at all hiding the disappointment or frustration in his voice, or Luke himself calls it quits, he starts with (Y/N). Neither of these are particularly pleasing endings to (Y/N), but she doesn’t let it affect her lessons. She doesn’t like how Luke quits when things refuse to go his way. (Y/N) remembers having to train for days without rest until she passed out from exhaustion. And she remembers that wanting to quit had resulted in the deaths of other Shadows. She doesn’t like the work ethic, and it also does nothing to make him better with the Force.    
  
Still, she doesn’t let it affect her. (Y/N) maintains her patience and refuses to snap at Luke. (Y/N) sees Yoda watch them practice several times. When Luke is slow on the uptake or stumbles over a tree root, (Y/N) stays positive and shows him again. Even if she had warned him about the root. Three times. It’s at these times that she looks at Yoda pointedly, hoping the Jedi Master will learn from it. Luke never quits in frustration with her and masters moves quickly under her tutelage. Of course the stuff Yoda is trying to teach Luke is on a whole other level, so it doesn’t translate perfectly. But after a while, though subtle, (Y/N) does notice a change in Yoda’s teaching.   
  
Luke makes progress, slowly but surely. He is a natural at using the Force to make his jumps higher and he masters calling objects to himself quickly. The latter he enjoys doing around the camp, both to help and to mess with (Y/N). (Y/N) barely stops herself from jumping out of her skin the first time Luke floats over the plant roots she asks for. She can’t help the amused smile, but she keeps it to the side of her mouth opposite to the side Luke is on. Though his self-satisfied expression during dinner says he saw it.    
  
(Y/N) gets the last word though, tucking a snake onto a rope holding up the tarp over his head just before Luke wakes up. His shriek sends many creatures fleeing from around the campsite. Luke hip-checks her shoulder as he walks past her seated position on the kitchen log, the name given to the log they cook on, but doesn’t retaliate. He knows better than to get into a prank war, or any war for that matter, with an assassin. 

Giving names to the different logs helps them distinguish between the ones that make up the campsite, and adds some levity to their conversation. There is the kitchen log, the eating log, the sitting log, and the stuff log, which is where they put stuff like the clothing Luke had been wearing when he fell in the water that one time or (Y/N)’s weapons when she cleans them. 

They develop a routine of sorts as their time spent in the swamp continues. They wake up, Luke makes breakfast, they retrieve the cranky Yoda from his hut, (Y/N) makes lunch, they find Yoda again to continue training, practice with Luke’s lightsaber, dinner is made by either of them, and then they spend the night lounging around the camp. Luke will tell (Y/N) about what he does with Yoda that she can’t see, like how he feels the life forces around them or how he sometimes has flashes of images in his mind that he can’t make heads or tails of. (Y/N) will listen, adding colorful commentary occasionally, and offering an anecdote from her past once in a blue moon.    
  
It is strange to (Y/N), not having a task. That all her day involves is watching Luke try to lift rocks. With the League, she’d never had so much downtime. During her training years, she’d barely had time to eat and sleep. And once permitted to perform tasks, the tasks themselves were rigorous and demanding, and the breaks between missions were short and spent sharpening skills or training younger Shadows. 

She had started to settle into this less demanding lifestyle while on the different rebel bases, as Luke didn’t ask much of her. It had thrown her at first, how little he demanded of her. He had one of the best Shadows of the League that he could point in any direction and not receive even an odd look from her. Yet he did practically nothing with (Y/N) at his disposal. Of course there were things like saving the Rogue Squadron, but it was a rarity. She joined him on most missions of her own volition, typically doing nothing but looking like his intimidating shadow as Luke was more than capable of taking care of himself in most situations. But while her days hadn’t been filled with task after task, there had still been stuff to do. (Y/N) would work on the Falcon or sit with the Rogue Squadron and observe their antics with an occasionally judgmental air. Or even just talk to Han, Chewie, or Leia. 

Here, there is only Luke to talk to. Not that she is complaining, Luke is far from boring and (Y/N) finds she never tires of chatting with him or being in his presence. 

(Y/N) isn’t a patient person, she knows this. She is reserved, more from controlling her temper than having tolerance of people. It doesn’t take long for a person or situation to grate on her nerves. But Luke never tests her patience or control. His presence is a welcome one, something (Y/N) had never experienced with someone before. Things that would normally annoy her never seem to matter when it comes to Luke.   
  
She isn’t sure what to make of that.  


*** 

(Y/N) didn’t join Luke and Yoda on their run today. 

They didn’t go running everyday, but when they did, (Y/N) usually followed. She thought it was Yoda’s way of getting away from her, but since Luke never asked her to stay away, (Y/N) never felt the desire to make things easy for the old Jedi. She would run not far from the pair, also taking part in other exercises like climbing vines, to stay in shape.    
  
But she had chosen to stay at camp today. (Y/N) had taken the time to do some maintenance on R2 and after finishing a story about an adventure of his with some guy named ‘Anakin’, he had left the camp to find Luke. (Y/N) stayed because Luke had torn the leg of his pants the day before and she’d offered to fix them. (Y/N) didn’t know how to sew, but she knew how to stitch wounds and it was basically the same thing.    
  
The sound of footsteps approaching the camp catches her ear. Knowing it’s most likely Luke, she doesn’t spring into action, just rests her hand on her blaster.    
  
Luke emerges from between the trees, looking sickly pale. (Y/N)’s eyebrows furrow, “Is everything alright?”   
  
He doesn’t answer, his mind seemingly elsewhere.    
  
(Y/N) says louder, “Luke?”   
  
Luke’s eyes focus on her, “Yeah?”   
  
“I asked if everything was alright. You look like you’ve seen death.”   
  
Luke pales impossibly further and walks over to her. (Y/N) slides over on the sitting log to give him room. He sinks down on weak knees and (Y/N) prompts again, “Luke, you’re freaking me out, which you know is no easy task. What happened?”   
  
“The run started out like normal,” Luke begins, eyes darting around, “and we ended up somewhere I’d never been to before. I felt something cold and...evil,” he shudders, “Twisted. I went into a cave where the darkness seemed to come from.”   
  
“What was inside?” (Y/N) asks with baited breath.    
  
“Vader.”   
  
(Y/N) jerks back slightly, “Vader? Here?”   
  
Luke shakes his head, “It wasn’t really him...it was like a vision. I’ve never had one that felt so real.”   
  
“What happened?”   
  
“I fought him with my lightsaber and cut off his head.”   
  
(Y/N) frowns, “Do you think it was a vision of the future? That you’ll face Vader soon and kill him?”   
  
“No,” Luke shakes his head, “After I cut off his head, his helmet exploded. And under it was my face.”   
  
“You were Vader?” (Y/N) asks for clarification.    
  
“Yeah,” Luke shivers.    
  
(Y/N) is silent for a movement before eventually asking, “Do you know what that's supposed to mean?”   
  
Luke shakes his head, “No, but I know it’s important that I do. I won the fight...but that wasn’t the point.”   
  
(Y/N) shifts on the log, “Go over the details again in your head, write them down if you have to. The message could be hidden in the details. It could have been a sound or something you or fake Vader did.”   
  
“Maybe. Good idea.”   
  
“I tend to have those a lot.”   
  
Luke smiles despite himself.  


***  


(Y/N) opens her eyes to see darkness around her. The crackling of fire makes (Y/N) turn to look over her shoulder.    
  
In the darkness, she can make out wrecked ships that must have crashed. From what, she doesn’t know. And where she is, she doesn’t know either. This isn’t Dagobah. Flames leap into the air from the burning wrecks and (Y/N) can see the wall of fire part as a shadowed figure approaches her from the distance.    
  
She blinks and the scenery has changed. The icy terrain around her tells (Y/N) she’s on Hoth, or on a planet very similar to the former home of the Rebellion.    
  
“Hey, (Y/N)!”   
  
(Y/N) looks to the right and sees Luke walking towards her. He’s bundled up like he just got back to the base from a scouting mission.    
  
His gloved hand pulls down the fabric, revealing a blinding smile and then moves up to lift up the goggles.    
  
“I was wondering where you had gone.”   
  
(Y/N) opens her mouth to ask what was happening when Luke pulls his hat off. The motion briefly blocks his face and in the split moment, (Y/N) is transported again.    
  
She’s back at the dark, burning place. The figure that had once been approaching now stands just feet from her with their back to her.    
  
The person is a Sith, evident in the red lightsaber held in their one hand.    
  
The Sith turns and (Y/N) is not surprised to see who it is.    
  
Luke looks back at her, jaw clenched tightly. He wears all black, with leather accents and a cape, similar to how Vader has been described to her. In all of (Y/N)’s missions, she’s never actually seen the Sith Lord before. Luke stares at (Y/N) with hard eyes and raises a white knuckled fist turned open hand to her.    
  
The implication is clear in the coldness in his blue gaze and activated lightsaber.    
  
(Y/N) glances around at the burning ships, realizing they are models commonly used by the Rebellion as well as the League of Shadows.    
  
She looks back at Luke.   
  
A blaster rests on either hip in their holsters as always and (Y/N) contemplates what to do. She knows Luke will soon make the decision is she doesn’t. And it probably won’t be one that she survives. (Y/N) had told Luke not to send her after Vader or the Emperor for a reason, no one could stand up against a Force user of that magnitude besides another Force user. Which she wasn’t. If (Y/N) didn’t join Luke, he would kill her.    
  
The part of (Y/N) that had been formed into a ruthless killing machine years ago said to take Luke’s hand. She could go back to the way things were. Follow her instincts without weighing options and exercising restraint that made her skin crawl at times. No more grey area or concern over how her actions would reflect on others. Because this Luke would allow her free reign. (Y/N) had reason to believe the destruction around her was his doing, so he would have no issue with her violent tendencies anymore. That side of her is interested to see how that life would be with Luke at her side. The two of them would be unstoppable, something (Y/N) had believed for a while now. Even without Luke becoming a Sith, the combination of his skills and hers would be too powerful to oppose. And any that tried would suffer their wrath.    
  
Flames catch her eye and draw her attention. Is that the Falcon?   
  
(Y/N) frowns. It could easily be any Corellian model freighter laying in the wreckage just yards from her, but it spooked (Y/N) enough to make her pause.    
  
This wasn’t right. Something was wrong. This couldn’t be Luke, not her Luke at least. He would never turn on the Rebellion or his friends. He would never resort to such violence and destruction.    
  
A loud cracking sound echoes across her surroundings. (Y/N) looks around wildly for the source as Luke remains motionless. She finally spots the source, seeing large thin cracks in the space around her. They sprawl across her vision like it she is surrounded by glass.    
  
An even louder one sounds just feet from her and (Y/N) looks back at Luke. His very image is fractured now and thin streams of light shine through. Luke seems completely unaware of what is happening to and around him. He just stands there expectantly with his hand raised.    
  
Cracks continue to sound above (Y/N)’s head until a loud shudder occurs, shaking the very air.   
  
She looks up and sees the glass-like dome around her shatter. Large and small pieces alike begin to fall towards her. They drop on all sides, leaving nowhere to run. (Y/N) crouches down, shielding her head with her arms.    
  
The glass tinkles like wind chimes before crashing onto the ground around her, but never seems to hit her. (Y/N) doesn’t look up or move though, staying firmly in place. The ground shakes from the impacts. 

The sound of breaking and falling glass finally stops and (Y/N) finally looks up.    
  
She’s in a desert. All deserts look the same, so she isn’t sure if this is Tatooine or somewhere else she’s been before.    
  
Luke stands in front of her again, dressed in the clothing he wore on his solo mission she accompanied him on.    
  
He smiles at her in his open, friendly way and offers a hand to help her straighten. (Y/N) doesn’t take it, still reeling from what had just occurred, straightening on her own.    
  
Luke doesn’t seem upset though, just lets the arm fall to his side.    
  
What had just happened? And was it still going on? Had the darkness and Sith Luke just been an illusion? Did it have some deeper meaning? Or was this sandy version the trick? Was this Luke’s way of testing her loyalty and conviction? To prove she hadn’t gone soft and would remain strong at his side?   
  
“Are you alight?” Luke asks, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”   
  
Luke’s words spark a memory of (Y/N)’s. She has a vague recollection of saying something similar to Luke not long ago, involving something of great importance with hidden messages. But what was it? And what did that mean, relative to what she was going through now?   
  
(Y/N) opens her mouth and a gust of wind begins to blow. Sand kicks up into the air, whipping around the pair in a whirl. (Y/N) lifts her arm to try and block her face from the sand, while still trying to keep an eye on Luke.    
  
The gusts eventually slow and the sand settles and (Y/N) finds herself back where she started.    
  
Luke, the one that’s a Sith Lord clad in black and wielding a bright red lightsaber in his hand, stands before her with an expectant, threatening gaze and raised hand.    
  
(Y/N) sets her feet, locking eyes with the man before her, and raises her own hand.    
  
(Y/N) wakes up before she can see if her hand holds a blaster or not.    
  
She shakes herself, trying to shake off the strange dream, and joins Luke on the kitchen log where he’s cooking breakfast. They tend to eat breakfast on the kitchen log because it’s early in the morning and neither feels like shuffling from log to log.    
  
“Good morning,” Luke greets her, completely unaware of the images and thoughts still racing through (Y/N)’s mind.    
  
“Morning.”   
  
(Y/N) not so subtly watches Luke work on the food, mulling over what had just occurred and still trying to make sense of it all.   
  
Luke glances at her, no doubt feeling her heavy gaze, and smiles politely.    
  
He returns to breakfast, not looking to (Y/N) again until it’s to hand her a plate. When he does and sees she still staring, his smile becomes nervous, “What? Do I have something on my face?”   
  
(Y/N) shakes herself from her thoughts, “Uh, no, I just had a weird dream.”   
  
“Oh,” Luke laughs lightly, “Been there.”  


***  


“(Y/N).”   
  
(Y/N) pops up off her stomach, eyes snapping open, knife that was hidden by the pillow now held threateningly in front of her.    
  
Her green eyes lock onto Luke’s blue immediately and she breathes out, losing the sharpness of her position and lowering the knife, “Oh, it’s you.”   
  
Luke, who had whipped his hand away as if burned, huffs with nervous laughter, “Who else could it be?”   
  
(Y/N) sighs tiredly, “I was asleep, I don’t have to think clearly then. I warned you about waking me before,” she scolds half-heartedly, gesturing lazily with her knife.    
  
“I know,” Luke’s eyes light up as he remembers something, “but you couldn’t miss it.”   
  
“Miss what?”   
  
Luke gestures around them, “It’s not foggy.”   
  
(Y/N) glances around, seeing he was right. The usual moisture that perpetually inhabited the swampy ecosystem around them was absent.   
  
“Come on,” Luke pulls at her arm.    
  
“I can see it from here,” (Y/N) protests even as she allows him to lift her from the bed. 

Luke leads her outside of their campsite. It’s dark, which apparently makes Luke feel compelled to help (Y/N) maneuver the uneven terrain. She has to swallow her surprised squawk when he turns around to grab her by the waist and lift her over a large tree root, offering an innocent, “Careful.” 

He stops at the base of a tree and begins to climb, looking down expectantly when she doesn’t immediately follow him, “Well come on.”

(Y/N) sighs loudly so he can hear it but climbs after him. 

Her head breaches the top branches and she comes to rest on the thick limb beside Luke. Luke’s head is tilted back as he looks at the stars above them.   
  
(Y/N) glances up too.    
  
“I haven’t seen the stars since we flew here,” Luke says wistfully.    
  
(Y/N) looks back at him, eyes tracing the lines of his jaw and neck, “I didn’t realize you missed them so much.”   
  
Luke lowers his head, “It’s not that I miss them, they just remind me of a simpler time.”   
  
“What do you mean?”   
  
Luke’s eyes get a far away look in them, “Tatooine always had clear nights. I remember not being able to sleep and wandering around the farm with nothing but the stars to keep me company.”   
  
“The moisture farm, right? With your aunt and uncle.”   
  
“Yes,” Luke looks at her with a small smile, happy she remembers such details, “There were a lot of long days on the farm, the suns setting was my favorite part of the day. When they set, they’d make the sky all kinds of colors. But I could never be sad when they faded to black because that meant the stars would come out.”   
  
He laughs bitterly, “It’s funny. When I was there, all I wanted to do was leave. Master Yoda was right, all I did was look to the future. And now that I’ve gotten what I wanted, I miss those simple things I took for granted. I don’t regret the path I’ve chosen,” Luke says defensively despite (Y/N) having said nothing, “I just miss it sometimes.”   
  
(Y/N) listens, captivated by Luke’s words. She had never had the opportunity or inclination to watch the skies like Luke describes. She’d only ever looked strategically. Be up at dawn to leave on a mission. A sun’s position in the sky to tell her where a target might be located. A sun setting meant to find shelter or return to the base of operations. The stars and moons served as light sources as she carried out a mission in the dead of night. 

To Luke, they weren’t tools or means to an end. They were a simple pleasure. 

“When this is over,” (Y/N) says eventually, “You can return to your suns and stars.”   
  
Luke shakes his head, “I don’t think I’ll ever return to Tatooine.”   
  
“Why?” (Y/N) asks in confusion, “Your family farm is still there, isn’t it?”   
  
“No,” Luke’s voice is sorrowful, “My uncle and aunt were killed and the farm was burned. The Empire tracked 3PO and R2 there but the three of us were searching for Ben when they arrived.”   
  
(Y/N) looks at Luke, “You never told me that.”   
  
Luke plays with a leaf in his hands, “I don’t like to talk about it.”   
  
(Y/N) has always been able to read him like a book, “You feel guilty.”   
  
Luke flinches, “How could I not? I wasn’t there.”   
  
“If you had been there, you would have died too. And 3PO and R2 would have been captured by the Empire, as well as the plans. And more planets would have been destroyed.”   
  
Luke huffs a laugh, “You sound like Ben.”   
  
“Well then Ben must have been a very smart guy, shame I never met him.”   
  
Luke laughs and lightly kicks her leg, “Thank you for coming up here and humoring me.”   
  
(Y/N) answers genuinely, “Of course.”   
  
She glances at the stars, before back to him, “Do you know any constellations?”   
  
Luke’s blue eyes light up with excitement, “Yeah!”   
  
He carefully shifts closer to her and points up at a group of stars that, to (Y/N), seem no different from any other cluster. 

“Alright, you see that line right there?”

“Yes.”

***

(Y/N) is sitting on the kitchen log as she makes lunch. She glances through some sparse trees to see where Luke stands on his hands some distance away. She can see Yoda is perched on the bottoms of his shoes and a rock is floating in the air. 

“You’ve come a long way from the streets of Jedha.”   
  
(Y/N)’s neck actually cracks from the force and speed with which she turns to look for the source of the impossible voice.    
  
“Chirrut,” she says in stunned shock.    
  
The blue, semi-transparent monk smiled at her.    
  
“How are you here? You died on Scarif?” (Y/N) had been with the Rebellion long enough to know all their war stories.    
  
“The Force,” his blind eyes look around unseeing, “is a pathway to many abilities.”   
  
“The Force,” (Y/N) repeats in a whisper.   
  
Chirrut nods.    
  
“What about Baze?” (Y/N) glances around expectantly.    
  
Chirrut smiles warmly, “He looked to the Force and found me, but he’s not this strong.”   
  
“Why can I see you?” (Y/N) knew for a fact she wasn’t Force sensitive.    
  
“Yoda was smart when he chose his hiding place,” Chirrut answers, “This planet is rich with life, creating large pockets of the Force.”   
  
“Okay,” (Y/N) says, still not sure she understands, “Why are you here?”   
  
Chirrut gestures at her with his ever present staff, before saying, “Did you ever find your purpose?”   
  
(Y/N) looks down at her hands briefly, considering the words Chirrut had spoken in the shadow of an Imperial ship in a doomed city. She finds herself looking towards Luke, thinking of how they came to be in each other’s company. How she went against orders and later chose to stay with him when the Rebellion rejected her. How she’s put her life in jeopardy for him and how he changed her during their time together. How his colors were solid in a way no one else’s were. How she often finds her gaze lingering on him and the strange feelings in her gut and chest he causes.    
  
“I think...” (Y/N) pulls her eyes from Luke to look back at Chirrut who sits in patient silence, “I found more than that.”   
  
Chirrut smiles, inclining his head, “I’m glad.”   
  
He looks around, and (Y/N) wonders if he can see something she can’t, before saying, “Did you know the strongest stars have hearts of kyber?”   
  
(Y/N)’s brow furrows, “You said that before, to the girl on Jedha...” she remembers the girl’s companion calling for her, “Jyn. What does it mean?”   
  
Chirrut smiles mischievously, “I don’t always speak in riddles, (Y/N). The strongest stars do, in fact, have hearts of kyber.”   
  
“Oh,” (Y/N) frowns, looking down at her hands. She had always thought the parting words Chirrut had offered to Jyn had some cryptic meaning to them. 

“Or maybe,” (Y/N) looks at Chirrut as he says, “it means that when the strongest people discover they have hearts, they find they possess a great power within themselves. Much like how the kyber crystals powered the lightsabers of the Jedi.”   
  
(Y/N)’s nose crinkles, “Why are you telling me this? Are you saying I’m one of the strong people?”   
  
Chirrut smiles secretively, “For someone who claims to not like riddles, you’re very good at them.”   
  
(Y/N) looks down at her hands again, clueless as to what the monk means, “If you’re right, what am I supposed to-“ (Y/N) stops mid sentence, having looked up and seeing Chirrut has disappeared, “Chirrut?”   
  
Though she had no way of knowing it, (Y/N) knew he was gone.    
  
Yoda’s yell and a loud crash pulls (Y/N) from her thoughts. She looks over and can no longer see Yoda or the floating rock.    
  
(Y/N) stands and walks over. Trees no longer blocking her view, she can see Luke sprawled out on the ground with Yoda standing beside him.    
  
“What happened?” (Y/N) demands.    
  
Both of them look at her with differing expressions. Luke stands up and walks to the water and (Y/N) follows him. She sees the almost completely submerged x-wing and says, “Oh,” flatly.    
  
“I know!” Luke exclaims, “We’ll never get it out now.”   
  
Yoda grumbles behind them, “So certain are you,” he sighs, “Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing I say?”   
  
“Master,” Luke says in exasperation, “moving stones around is one thing. This is totally different.”   
  
“No! No different,” Yoda smacks his cane on the ground, “Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned.”   
  
Luke nods before shrugging as he looks back to the ship, saying with a tone like he’s already failed, “All right, I’ll give it a try.”   
  
“No!” Yoda calls Luke’s attention back to him, “Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.”   
  
Luke glances at (Y/N) and she nods her head towards the water, “Well go on.”   
  
Luke faces the water, sighs, and lifts his hand. (Y/N) watches his muscles flex from the effort as the ship slowly begins to rise.    
  
(Y/N)’s head whips around to look at Yoda and he looks just as surprised as she feels. R2 whistles excitedly as the ship rises higher and higher.    
  
She feels the air leave her body as the ship begins to sink again. R2 beeps sadly for Luke and (Y/N) can see Yoda deflate as well.    
  
The ship disappears completely under the murky water.    
  
Luke stumbles over to Yoda before dropping to the ground. He breathes heavily from the effort, “I can’t. It’s too big.”   
  
“Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size do you?”   
  
Luke shakes his head, glancing at (Y/N).    
  
Yoda continues, “And well you should not. For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is,” he looks around at the trees, “Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us, binds us. Luminous beings we are,” he pinches Luke’s shoulder, “Not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you,” he gestures around the clearing, “Here, between you...me...the tree...the rock...everywhere. Yes, even between this land and that ship.”   
  
Luke stands, offering only, “You want the impossible,” and walks away from Yoda, towards (Y/N). He brushes his hand against her arm as he passes to pick up his jacket. Luke slumps down on the ground dejectedly, wiping a hand across his face.   
  
(Y/N) barely glances at Yoda before walking over to stand by Luke. She stays silent, believing it the best thing. She gazes down at the top of his sweaty head, noting the dirt and leaves tangled in his short locks from his tumble.    
  
When R2 starts whistling, (Y/N) looks back towards the clearing. Yoda now stands on a log, small hand extended in front of him, and Luke’s ship is slowing rising from the water.    
  
“Luke,” (Y/N) says, hitting his shoulder with her hand, “Luke.”   
  
“What?”   
  
“Look.”   
  
Luke stands and walks forward, coming to a stop when he sees what’s happening.    
  
(Y/N) walks shoulder to shoulder with Luke back to the clearing. The x-wing completely leaves the water and starts gliding through the air towards the dry ground. R2 continues to beep as the x-wing slowing sinks down. Luke walks to its side, touching the body as if he doesn’t believe it’s actually there. He makes his way around to the back to where R2 whistles and beeps. Luke looks back to Yoda for the first time and immediately hurries to his side.    
  
He shakes his head and says breathlessly, “I don’t...I don’t believe it.”   
  
(Y/N) doesn’t either.   


Yoda looks at him calmly, “That is why you fail.”   
  
Luke slumps into himself impossibly further.    
  
Yoda sighs in disappointment, “Done for the day, we are. Taught you all I will.”   
  
Luke nods silently and turns away from the smaller Jedi. He disappears between the trees in the direction of their camp.    
  
(Y/N) walks along the side of Luke’s x-wing, taking in the red stripes and clumps of some sort of vegetation left there from its time underwater. She wonders what will be waiting for her back at camp. Luke will no doubt be in a depressed funk for the rest of the day due to the colossal failure that just occurred. For once (Y/N) wishes Yoda would have just stuck to his usual shtick of annoyed with Luke’s performance, because his quiet disappointment is somehow worse. She glances at Yoda out of the corner of her eye, seeing that while his eyes are absently tracking in her progression, his mind is far away.

(Y/N) wonders where it is that his mind goes when he gets that far away look. Is he thinking of the times of the Old Republic? Wishing he was still there? Perhaps trying to recall some forgotten teaching method he could use on Luke? Is he speaking to someone beyond (Y/N)’s sight? Could Yoda be talking to Ben about Luke, or possibly some other Jedi that had long since died? What a lonely life the small Jedi Master must live. (Y/N) knew her history, so she knew he had probably been here for over twenty years. Alone. The Jedi had been virtually made extinct during the purges, and with Ben’s passing, Yoda is probably completely alone in the universe. No one to talk to, no one who had been through what he had been through, no one who understands. (Y/N) had lived an isolated life, but there had always been people in it. There were the other Shadows of the League that had been through the same training as her. And while she didn’t particularly like any of them or want to spend time with them, at least they were there. Other people who knew what her life was like. And then when she hooked up with the Rebellion, while a fair amount of them avoided her like a disease, she rarely found herself without someone friendly to go to. Yoda had none of these things, so a part of (Y/N) understood how he could be so cynical and easily disappointed. But it didn’t excuse it.    
  
Luke is important. (Y/N) had known this back when he had been made her mission, but after getting to know him, she had discovered he meant so much more. His colors are solid today, as they had been for the past several days without fail. Nothing either of them did had any impact anymore. Not even Luke failing just now and giving up again had changed anything. Something told (Y/N) they would never again break their boundaries and blend together. His value exceeded that of Death Star destroying and Rogue Squadron leader. His abilities with the Force and the narrative of his life’s journey told (Y/N) how vital Luke is. And while (Y/N) isn’t sure exactly what Luke is meant to do with his abilities, she isn’t going to let anything get in the way of it. Not if she can help it. She knows now that merely watching and standing by passively isn’t good enough.    
  
Her fingers dance over the top of R2’s domed head as she leaves the clearing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N)’s dream is just a dream, not a Force vision. She doesn’t have any Force sensitivity, something that will be addressed in the next chapter. I just thought it was the best way for (Y/N) to process the developments between her and Luke, as well as what Luke is going through on Dagobah. I deliberately stated Luke’s eyes were blue in the dream and not yellow to show the falsehood of it.
> 
> Also, I’m not a poet and I know it, but I hope you enjoyed my spin on Chirrut’s words. He’s such an interesting character in RO, and I thought it’d be nice to bring him back and have a quick follow up on the conversation that motivated (Y/N) to start changing her ways.


	10. Chapter 10

(Y/N) sits down on the bed beside Luke.    
  
He turns his head from where it rests in his hands to look at her.    
  
“Hey.” The only thing sadder than Luke’s tone is his eyes. There is no sign of the usual hope and positivity, even the blue itself seems duller.    
  
“What are you thinking?”   
  
Luke sighs, “I don’t know. It just seems to get harder and harder, and I don’t seem to be getting any better. I can barely lift the rocks and Master Yoda could lift the ship like it was nothing,” he runs a hand through his hair, knocking out leaves and dirt, “Maybe I shouldn’t even have come here, I’m hopeless.”   
  
She reaches over and takes Luke’s hand. He makes a face at the unexpected action but allows her to guide their joined hands. (Y/N) brings Luke’s fingers up to the side of her head, guiding him to the place she knows by heart. She can feel the moment Luke feels it, as his hand freezes and he sits up straighter. (Y/N) drops her own hand, allowing Luke to explore, tracing his finger along the different lines.    
  
“What happened?” Luke’s voice is colored with horror.    
  
“It’s beneficial to the League for a Shadow to be Force sensitive because it improves their skill set and reflexes. It makes them more capable at completing tasks, which makes the Masters more money. To not be Force sensitive is considered to be a failure and a disrespect to the League.”   
  
“But you have no control of it,” Luke protests.    
  
“It doesn’t matter,” (Y/N) shrugs, “I was always a gifted Shadow. They thought I might be sensitive and once I developed those abilities, I’d be even better.”   
  
“But you weren’t,” Luke supplies as he continues to trace the scars hidden by her hair, tucking some hair behind her ear.    
  
“No,” (Y/N) sighs, “I wasn’t. Master Dyla, the one who got my test results, must have been having a bad day. When it came back negative, he attacked me.”   
  
“What did he do?”   
  
“I don’t remember much of the attack. I just remember lying on the floor as he kicked my head over and over again.”   
  
Luke pulls his hand away like he was burned.    
  
“How...how bad was it?”   
  
“Shattered my skull. Broke my jaw in a few places so it was wired shut for a few months. Fractured my eye socket and nose, almost lost my left eye. Broke some ribs, my right arm in two places, a couple of fingers. Ruptured spleen. Ended up in a coma for a while, suffered some memory loss. I almost died,” (Y/N) supplies robotically over Luke’s shocked gasp, “If I receive a blow to the head that’s just right, I won’t get up from it.”   
  
Luke focuses his attention back on her face, “Why are you telling me this?”   
  
“Because all the League was looking for was slightly improved hearing or being able to see in the dark a little better, maybe being able to move small objects. If something as little as that, just to make some more money, was so important that I almost died for it, imagine how important what you’re capable of doing is.”   
  
“What do you mean?”   
  
(Y/N) shifts to look at Luke better, “The galaxy needs you to do this, Luke. You have to learn the ways of the Force.”   
  
“So you’re saying I don’t have a choice?” Luke asks.    
  
“Of course you have a choice, you choose to come here after all. Ben’s just a ghost, he couldn’t force you into your ship and make you come here. You came here because you knew you possessed a gift and that there was a chance you could learn something about it. And you have! When I met you, you couldn’t even call your lightsaber to your hand.”   
  
“And now all I can do is lift some rocks,” Luke says dismissively.    
  
“It’s more than I could ever do,” (Y/N) says sharply because Luke is being uncooperative, before softening her tone again, “What you can do now is minor, but that hardly means you’ve reached your maximum potential.”   
  
Luke shakes his head, looking away, “But, (Y/N), I can’t-“   
  
“Do you know what happened at the Temple if a Shadow said ‘can’t’?” (Y/N) cuts him off, “They’d be beaten. And if it continues, they’d be killed. For years I wouldn’t even let myself think the word out of fear they’d somehow find out.”   
  
Luke looks back at her silently.    
  
“I didn’t come to this swamp because I wanted to perfect my root soup recipe,” (Y/N) continues, “I came here because you wanted to find a Jedi Master. And we found him. He might be a cranky old man, but he’s the only one in the galaxy that can teach you what you need to know. So buck up and stop complaining because if this was easy, everyone would be a Jedi.”   
  
Luke blinks at her and is silent for a moment. He finally asks, “What will you do if I don’t? Beat me up?”   
  
His tone is tentatively teasing and (Y/N)’s reply is immediate, “That was my backup plan. If talking the sense into you didn’t work, I’d try to beat it into you.”   
  
A smile pulls at the corner of her mouth despite her best efforts.    
  
Luke doesn’t try to hide his, letting it spread across his face the way it always does.   
  
He sighs, running a hand through his hair and knocking out another stray leaf, “You’re right...you’re right.”   
  
“I tend to be,” (Y/N) says with a smug air.    
  
Luke kicks her leg lightly, “I need to get my act together.”   
  
(Y/N) kicks back, “Yes, you do.”  


***

Later, as (Y/N) drifts off to sleep, she hears Luke whispers from his bed, “(Y/N)?”   
  
“Yeah?” (Y/N) murmurs back, going from half-asleep to alert in a heartbeat. 

“Thank you.”   
  
(Y/N) relaxes again and sinks back into her pillow, frowning, “For what?”   
  
“For talking sense into me. And coming here. And everything you’ve done over the years. I don’t thank you enough for all you do so. Just...thank you.”   
  
(Y/N) lifts her head to peer over at Luke. His face is slack as he approaches sleep, but his fingers fidget nervously.    
  
“You’re welcome,” (Y/N) replies so softly it can barely be heard over the sounds of nature.    
  
Luke rolls onto his side, seemingly content with her answer and his fingers fall still.   


***

Luke’s attitude and approach to his lessons completely turns around. It’s like all the struggles and failures suffered during his time under Yoda’s tutelage have been wiped from his mind. 

He throws himself into the lessons with the eagerness displayed when they had first arrived on the planet and works with a tenacity that impresses even (Y/N). He refuses to quit when things get hard, which rarely happens anymore. His change in outlook has seemingly opened the door to his Force abilities, and he develops new skills rapidly before jumping eagerly to the next lesson.    
  
Yoda obviously sees the change in Luke. How could he not? It’s like night and day. When Luke leaves their sight to refill his water canteen, Yoda approaches her. He asks with an accusing tone, “Say to him, what did you?”   
  
(Y/N) responds with an innocent look on her face, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, he did this all on his own. Maybe you shouldn’t underestimate Luke, that way he can’t keep proving you wrong.”   
  
Yoda appears unconvinced by this but doesn’t press her further.    
  
(Y/N) is elated over Luke’s change of heart. She hasn’t done much good in her life, but this is an instance where (Y/N) feels she has. Luke needed this support from her to get back on track. She had judged Yoda for his poor approach to teaching Luke, but she herself had been guilty of the same thing. Standing idly by as Luke tried and failed had been detrimental to his psyche, (Y/N) sees that now. Luke is capable of so much, he had achieved a lot by himself before coming here, but his time on Dagobah had put him in a bad headspace. By stepping up and showing support in more obvious ways than her mere presence did subtly, Luke flourishes once again.    
  
He stands on his hands again, lifting objects around him, and (Y/N) can see the change on his face. Previous times his face had been tense with concentration and effort to remain balanced and focused on the Force at the same time. Now, he seems more at peace while he lifts rocks and nearby storage units that make up their camp.    
  
“Concentrate...” Yoda encourages, “feel the Force flow. Yes.”   
  
R2 beeps loudly in protest as he is lifted from the ground. (Y/N) feels the weight of her hair lift from her back and turns enough to see it floating carefree in the air. The loose ends of the laces on her boots float in the air as well, making (Y/N) smile as she returns her focus to Luke.    
  
“Good. Calm, yes. Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future...the past. Old friends long gone.”   
  
Luke’s eyes widen and he says with distress, “Han? Leia!”   
  
The storage units fall and R2 shrieks as he crashes to the ground. Luke tumbles down not soon after with a grunt. He props himself up, eyes scanning the ground frantically.    
  
“Luke?” (Y/N) asks, concern coloring her voice as she stands, “What happened?”   
  
“Control, control,” Yoda scolds, “You must learn control.”   
  
Luke looks up, “I saw...I saw a city in the clouds.”   
  
Yoda nods, “Friends you have there.”   
  
(Y/N)’s head swivels to look at Yoda.    
  
“They were in pain,” Luke says with a worried expression.    
  
“The future you see.”   
  
“Future?”   
  
Yoda nods.    
  
Luke looks down at the ground before standing. His head turns to look down at Yoda, voice shaky, “Will they die?”   
  
The old Jedi closes his eyes and lowers his head, “Difficult to see. Always in motion, is the future.”   
  
Luke shakes his head and turns away, “I’ve got to go to them.”   
  
“Decide you must, how to serve them best.”   
  
Luke rests a hand on a tree and looks back to Yoda who continues, “If you leave now, help them you could. But you would destroy all for which they have fought and suffered.”   
  
Luke looks like he wants to say something, but the weight of Yoda’s words stops him cold. He nods soberly before leaving the clearing. Towards the camp.    
  
Yoda grumbles in annoyance over his wayward student before turning on (Y/N), “Do nothing about this can you? How to speak to Luke, you appear to know.”   
  
(Y/N) raises an unimpressed eyebrow, “Luke is loyal to his friends. Trying to get him to stay would be like telling the sun not to set.” 

She starts to leave the clearing as well.    
  
“Bah,” Yoda smacks the ground with his cane, “If he goes, fall to the dark side he will. Worst failure he will be.”   
  
(Y/N) stops in her tracks and turns back, saying resolutely, “All due respect, Master Jedi, but I think he will be your greatest success,” and leaves without another word.    
  
At the campsite, Luke is quickly and methodically breaking down his bed and storing it away.    
  
(Y/N) refrains from starting on her bed, walking over to Luke’s side instead, “Don’t you worry it’s a trap?”   
  
“It’s undoubtedly a trap,” Luke replies, not stopping, “but I won’t leave Han and Leia to suffer.”   
  
“I know it’s pointless to say, but I could go instead of you?”   
  
Luke glances at her, brow furrowed, “Pointless?”   
  
(Y/N) rolls her eyes good-naturedly, “Luke, I’ve been with you for over two years now. I’d like to think I know you well enough.”   
  
Luke inclines his head, conceding her point.   
  
“I have no incentive to stay here alone with Yoda and not talk, but if you stay, you could complete your training.”   
  
Luke shakes his head, “I have to do this.”   
  
“You won’t get within five feet of Leia or Han. That city will be overflowing with Imperial troops that will bring you to Vader.”   
  
Luke sighs, “I know.”   
  
“And I will be of no use in the fight against a Sith Lord.”   
  
“I know,” Luke says again, kneeling down to pack a bag.    
  
(Y/N) nods and starts to untie the tarps placed over their beds, “I will retrieve Han and Leia.”   
  
Luke looks up at her where she towers over him in surprise, “Thank you.”   
  
Working together, the camp is broken down in minutes. They pack up (Y/N)’s ship first, dawn their flight suits, and starts packing up Luke’s ship.    
  
Yoda soon joins them. (Y/N) rolls her eyes and ignores him. 

Luke is up by his cockpit and R2 is on top of the ship when Yoda finally speaks up, “Luke! You must complete your training.”   
  
(Y/N) listens to Luke reply as she places things in the x-wing’s storage areas, “I can’t keep the vision out of my head. They’re my friends. I’ve got to help them!”   
  
“You must not go!” Yoda insists.    
  
“But Han and Leia will die if I don’t!” Luke argues back insistently.    
  
“You don’t know that,” says a voice foreign to (Y/N). Her head snaps over and her eyes widen as she can just make out a semi-transparent figure behind Yoda. The figure continues, “Even Yoda cannot see their fate.”

“Oh my god, I’ve finally gone crazy,” she whispers.    
  
“But I can help them,” Luke answers him. Oh, right, the Force pockets. Luke continues, “I feel the Force.”   
  
“But you cannot control it. This is a dangerous time for you, when you will be tempted by the dark side of the Force.”   
  
The two speak like they know each other.    
  
“Luke,” (Y/N) touches his arm to draw his attention, “Who is that?”   
  
“Ben,” he replies simply.    
  
“Yes, yes,” Yoda either didn’t hear the exchange or doesn’t care, “To Obi-Wan you listen.”   
  
(Y/N) mouths “Obi-Wan”, feeling the strange name roll through her mouth. Why did Yoda call Ben that name? Or was Luke the irregularity?   
  
Yoda continues, “The cave! Remember your failure in the cave.”   
  
(Y/N) looks away from Ben/Obi-Wan for the first time since he appeared to look at Luke who pauses briefly before he says, “But I’ve learned so much since then. Master Yoda, I promise to return and finish what I’ve begun. You have my word.”   
  
Yoda slumps into himself in resignation. 

Ben/Obi-Wan speaks again, “It is you and your abilities the Emperor wants. That is why your friends are made to suffer.”   
  
But Luke only sounds more determined as he answers, “That’s why I have to go.”   
  
(Y/N) places the last box into the x-wing and closes the storage area.    
  
“Luke, I don't want to lose you to the Emperor the way I lost Vader,” Ben/Obi-Wan says with regret in his voice.    
  
“You won't,” Luke says with conviction.    
  
“Stopped they must be,” Yoda speaks up, “On this, all depends. Only a fully trained Jedi Knight with the Force as his ally will conquer Vader and his Emperor. If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path as Vader did, you will become an agent of evil.”   
  
“Patience,” Ben, (Y/N) decides to go with Luke’s name, urges.   
  
“And sacrifice Han and Leia?” Luke retorts sharply.    
  
“If you honor what they fight for,” Yoda says, “...yes.”   
  
Luke looks away from Yoda and Ben, as the latter says somberly, “If you choose to face Vader, you will do it alone. I cannot interfere.”   
  
Luke looks up at (Y/N), who looks back, “It’s not my decision, they aren’t my friends. I’m with you, Luke, wherever you go.” She means it. 

He nods, answering Ben, “I understand.”

Luke moves to the ladder that leads to the cockpit, “R2, fire up the converters.”   
  
R2 beeps happily and does just that. Luke starts to climb up the ladder before looking back down to (Y/N), who still stands by the base.    
  
It occurs to (Y/N) that this might be the last time she sees Luke. His training is incomplete and the words of the Jedi Masters plant fear deep within her. (Y/N) raises her hand up to Luke. Luke takes it immediately and they both squeeze tightly. It’s brief, about as the length of a handshake, but it carries depth neither of them have time to articulate. (Y/N) pulls away, allowing Luke to continue his climb.    
  
“Luke!” Ben calls, “Don’t give into hate! That leads to the dark side.”   
  
Yoda speaks up again, desperately trying to give something of value to Luke, “Strong is Vader. Mind what you have learned, save you it can.”   
  
“I will,” Luke says from the cockpit, “And I’ll return. I promise.”   
  
His ship starts to lift off and he glances down at (Y/N) one last time. She nods with determination and resolve.    
  
(Y/N) spares Ben and Yoda a final look, though they don’t see it, and walks towards her own ship.  


***

(Y/N) follows Luke to the city in his vision. 

She flies past his x-wing and blasts towards the planet. Her scanner picks up a city hovering in the air and she flies towards it. 

Knowing the Imperials are probably scanning the area for ships, so (Y/N) dips into the atmosphere a fair distance away. She flies low, about halfway between the ground and the space beyond.    
  
As she approaches the floating city, (Y/N) peers out the windows while her scanners search around her. A soft ping draws (Y/N)’s eye and she veers to the left.    
  
(Y/N) shreds her flight suit within the tight confines of her cockpit. She flies over towards the now visible shuttle. The spoils of the prosperous mines on the surface were brought up to the city in these shuttles, which meant it was her ticket to the floating structure without attracting Imperial eyes.    
  
(Y/N) overrides the controls, opening the cockpit while she’s still flying and squints against the harsh winds that whip around her. Carefully climbing out of the cockpit, (Y/N) crouches down to stay close to the ship’s body. At the right moment, she hits a button which forces the ship to shut down. It immediately begins to plummet and (Y/N) moves to the nose of the ship. Her muscles tense and she pushes off hard.    
  
(Y/N) falls through the air, spreading out her limbs to slow her descent. The shuttle’s roof approaches rapidly. (Y/N) tucks her body at the last minute and she slams into the metal, rolling with her momentum. (Y/N) somersaults, tumbling over and over again before twisting her body. She angles her feet to try and catch traction as the edge of the shuttle’s roof closes in distance. (Y/N) grabs the edge of a protruding vent once she’s slowed enough that the action won’t wrench her arm. Her fingers curl around the metal with an iron grip and her body jerks to a stop. (Y/N) presses close to the shuttle as the wind whips her hair around behind her. She presses her head against the hard metal for a moment, catching her breath.    
  
Her ship plummets to the ground, disappearing through the clouds. That’s one the Rebellion won’t be getting back. She can’t bring it to the city and risk it or herself falling under Imperial control. (Y/N) turns her head and watches the floating city grow larger and larger as the shuttle flies closer. Her sharp eyes spot the Falcon resting innocently on a landing platform. Some people are walking out of it. While she’s too far away to see who, she’s pretty sure it’s not Han, Leia, Chewie, or 3PO.    
  
The shuttle flies past the landing platform and down towards a large docking area where other similar shuttles sit. It touches down on the ground and (Y/N) jumps from the roof and immediately takes off. She sprints towards the building the Falcon’s platform had lead to, ducking past the Imperial troops that fill the halls. 

(Y/N)’s running past a door when the sound of Wookiee roars catch her ear. Her feet skid on the smooth floor as she stops. (Y/N) ducks into the room, slipping past small creatures that wander around, and can hear a commotion above her. (Y/N) hears Han yelling “Chewie! Chewie, this won’t help me. Hey!”   
  
(Y/N) starts to climb up the wall. She grabs the metal grate that makes up the floor of the platform above her and pulls herself up just enough to peer over.    
  
“Save your strength,” Han says. (Y/N) is just to the side of Chewie so she can see Han. He’s in handcuffs. Han continues, “There’ll be another time. The Princess-you have to take care of her. You hear me?” (Y/N) sees movement that must be Leia on the other side of Chewie.    
  
Chewie howls mournfully.    
  
(Y/N) looks around, taking in the room. Her eyes flair as she spots Vader. It’s the first time she’s ever seen the Sith Lord with her own eyes and he’s just as looming and intimidating as she imagined. His outfit is all black, mask cut with sinister lines, panel on his chest flashing with small red lights, large cape just adding to his already tall, encompassing figure, lightsaber resting innocently on his hip. He’s terrifying. The black of his color radiates outward. Not in a way like most colors bleed in a sloppy way. This black, this horrible black that normally (Y/N) only sees on a dead body, comes off him in waves. He’s a harbinger of death. Her blood runs cold. This is a man that could kill her with a flick of the wrist. For once, she’s incredibly grateful for her Masters, because they’ve always kept her away this monster, this phantom. 

She pulls her eyes away, trying to stay focused. She needs to get the lay of the room. 

(Y/N) sees Boba Fett and several Stormtroopers. There’s a dark skinned man whose cape is rich with blue, as she recognizes he must be of great value in order to be present for this. 

(Y/N)’s eye is drawn back as troopers separate the kissing Leia and Han. She watches Han get pulled to the center of the floor and little creatures walk over to remove his cuffs. (Y/N) realizes that Vader intends to freeze Han in carbonite. She can’t stop it, she got here too late. If (Y/N) were to do anything, she would risk corrupting the process which could kill Han. And if she were to climb up and knock him off the platform, Vader and his goons would end her efforts quickly.    
  
“I love you,” Leia calls to Han. 

“I know,” Han responds, words heavy with hidden emotion. The platform lowers Han and, in a flash and flood of gas, he is obscured from (Y/N)’s view.    
  
3PO speaks from Chewie’s back, “What...what’s going on? Turn around, Chewbacca, I can’t see. Oh...they’ve encased him in carbonite. He should be quite well protected-if he survived the freezing process, that is.”   
  
Large metal tongs descend from the ceiling, clamping down on the block of carbonite (Y/N) can’t see. The platform rises back to be level with everyone else. (Y/N) can barely make out the silhouette of Han in the dark setting. The tongs retract and the same creatures from before return. They push the slab and it falls to the ground with a loud clang that resonates deep within (Y/N). She cringes, wishing she could look away from the terrible sight, and hopes any emotion she isn’t able to clamp down on will be mistaken as Chewie’s or Leia’s. (Y/N) pulls her eyes from Han’s frozen face and looks at Vader. He doesn’t seem to have sensed her presence. Her training against Force sensitives has proven to be effective. If the situation were different, she’d be pleased.    
  
The dark skinned man walks over to the side of Han and looks down at the monitors.    
  
“Well, Calrissian,” Vader’s voice is deeper than she expected, “did he survive?”   
  
Calrissian is quiet for a moment before saying, “Yes, he’s alive...and in perfect hibernation.”

(Y/N) releases a small sigh of relief. 

Vader addresses Fett, “He’s all yours, bounty hunter. Reset the chamber for Skywalker.”   
  
An Imperial officer approaches Vader, “Skywalker has just landed, my lord.”   
  
“Good,” Vader orders, “See to it that he finds his way here. Calrissian, take the Princess and the Wookiee to my ship.”   
  
Calrissian steps forward, protesting angrily, “You said they’d be left in the city under my supervision.”   
  
“I am altering the deal,” Vader answers threateningly, “Pray I don’t alter it any further.”   
  
(Y/N)’s eyebrows raise as Calrissian’s hand comes up to his throat instinctively. Interesting.    
  
She quickly climbs back down the wall, plan already forming. (Y/N) approaches one of the creatures she saw before and grabs its arm tightly. The creature makes a nose of protest but (Y/N) ignores it, “Tell Calrissian to come down here immediately and bring him to me,” and shoves the creature in the right direction.    
  
It looks back at her and starts to speak angrily, but (Y/N) puts an end to the protests by resting a hand on one of her blasters while firmly saying, “Now.”   
  
The creature scurries away and (Y/N) exits the lower area of the freezing chamber. She waits impatiently just outside for Calrissian. He doesn’t make her wait long, or rather the creature doesn’t, as it quickly returns, insistently pushing Calrissian towards her.    
  
Calrissian’s lecturing the creature, “I’m very busy, can’t this wait? I’m on thin ice as it is.”   
  
He looks up, spotting (Y/N), eyes locking onto her collar. Calrissian raises an appeasing hand, “Now, now, I’m square with the League. Everything’s been settled, I-“   
  
“I’m not here on behalf of the League,” (Y/N) interrupts his rambling.    
  
Calrissian only looks more worried, which is understandable. An assassin for hire showing up without explanation is concerning. (Y/N) fights the eyeroll. If she had been sent to kill him, he never would have seen her.    
  
“Then who are you-“   
  
“Luke Skywalker.”   
  
Calrissian looks surprised, repeating, “Luke Skywalker?”   
  
(Y/N) ignores him, inclining her head towards the freezing chamber, “Those are his friends in there and I intend on leaving this city with them. Now, I’ve only just gotten here, so I’m not familiar with this whole situation you and Vader have going on, but I’ve pieced enough together to know you aren’t working with him willingly, which is the only reason I’m granting you this courtesy. You have two options: help me against the Imperials or stand down and don’t get involved. I won’t raise a hand against you or your people unless you give me a reason to. The decision is entirely yours. But I suggest you make it quickly, Calrissian, or I will make it for you.”   
  
Calrissian’s eyes flair subtly, in a way that tells (Y/N) she has what Han lovingly calls her ‘murder face’ on. According to Han, she has about twenty different faces, Leia argues seventeen, the majority of which promise unpleasant things. But her ‘murder face’ is the one that promises the worst of the worst. (Y/N) isn’t sure what the subtleties are that separate the different faces, but she’s glad Calrissian got the message.    
  
“No, no, I want to help,” Calrissian says, “Han’s my friend...I didn’t want this to happen to him. To any of them. I had no choice.”   
  
“Well, you have one now.”   
  
“Okay,” Calrissian claps his hands nervously, “I’ll get Leia and Chewbacca. You get Han.”   
  
“No,” (Y/N) replies, “I will help you with Leia and Chewie.”   
  
“Why? Don’t think I can do it on my own?” Calrissian’s tone is full of swagger now, but he still looks wary of her. Good. She’d hate for him to start feeling too familiar with her.    
  
“It doesn’t matter whether I do or don’t,” (Y/N) supplies, “It is not my life I gamble with, so it’s not a chance I’m willing to take,” she glances at the freezing chamber, “Han can be recovered from Jabba, but if Leia and Chewie board that Imperial shuttle, they will be lost forever.”   
  
“Very well,” Calrissian concedes, “Look here,” he indicates the wall they stand by that has a rudimentary layout of a building, no doubt the one they are currently standing in, “We are currently here. Vader’s shuttle is here. Head towards it, I’ll contact my people, who will meet us halfway. It’s the best place to free them.”

She nods, “Far enough from Vader and the central hub, but not close enough to those guarding the shuttle.”  


“Yes.”

(Y/N) would argue she could handle it herself and doesn’t need his people, but defers to Calrissian as it’s his facility so he’s more familiar with it, “Alright, Calrissian. And I’m sure I don’t have to elaborate on what would happen if you are lying to me.”   
  
“No, you don’t. And I’m not.”


	11. Chapter 11

(Y/N) walks through several hallways, hearing the sounds of blaster fire and Leia yelling at Luke. Ignore it. Ignore it. Stick to the plan. 

It’s at this point she runs into Calrissian’s people. 

Lobot starts to introduce himself as (Y/N) takes in the armed men behind him.    
  
She cuts him off, “Enough with the pleasantries, we have work to do.”   
  
“Of course,” he replies and leads them back towards Calrissian. 

(Y/N) turns the corner and can see the clunky white armor of Stormtroopers and the dull grey of officer uniforms. Calrissian’s people rush from all sides and the Imperial escort is quickly surrounded. The troopers immediately surrender their weapons. (Y/N) stands at the back, watching closely. When an officer reaches for his blaster as when everyone else is distracted disarming the others, she steps forward and rests a hand on the blaster, clicking her tongue softly and smiling like the devil.    
  
The officer immediately relinquishes his hold and (Y/N) takes the blaster. She hands it to one of the armed men and Calrissian addresses Lobot, “Well done. Hold them in the security tower, and keep it quiet. Move.”   
  
They depart quickly, leaving Calrissian, Leia, Chewie, 3PO, and (Y/N).    
  
Calrissian shoves two blasters into Leia’s arms and begins to undo Chewie’s handcuffs. 

(Y/N) looks down the hallway, watching the Imperials be led away. 

Leia demands, dumbfounded by this sequence of events, “What do you think you are doing?”   
  
“We’re getting out of here.”   
  
“I knew it all along, it had to be a mistake,” 3PO remarks with relief from Chewie’s back.    
  
Chewie’s cuffs unlock and he roars angrily, wrapping his hands around Calrissian’s throat.    
  
“Do you think that after what you did to Han we’re going to trust you?” Leia says angrily.    
  
(Y/N) steps forward, “Woah, woah!”   
  
Leia looks at her in surprise, probably not noticing she was here until now.    
  
“I had no choice,” Calrissian gasps out.    
  
Chewie growls in fury.    
  
“What are you doing? Trust him, trust him!”   
  
Leia turns back on Calrissian, “Oh, we understand, don’t we, Chewie? He had no choice.”   
  
(Y/N) wraps her hand around Chewie’s arm, “Let him go, Chewbacca.”   
  
Chewie barks sharply at her. She tightens her grip and glares at him.    
  
“I was only trying to help,” Calrissian chokes out, sounding weaker.    
  
“We don’t need your help,” Leia sneers.    
  
“Leia, be reasonable. You’d be boarding an Imperial shuttle right now if it wasn’t for him.”   
  
“He invited them here!”   
  
“No he didn’t!” (Y/N) curls her fingers under Chewie’s, yanking at them, “Fett tracked you here and you know there isn’t a choice when it comes to Vader. Chewie, let him go! We have to get Han!”   
  
Chewie’s grip loosens and he growls in question.    
  
“There’s still a chance to save Han,” Calrissian says desperately, “At the east platform.”   
  
Leia saying “Chewie” finally gets the Wookiee to let go of Calrissian’s throat. Calrissian falls forward, stopping himself from face-planting at the last minute. The others take off with 3PO calling out, “I’m terribly sorry about all this! After all, he’s only a Wookiee.”   
  
(Y/N) offers a hand down to Calrissian, who looks up at it for a moment before taking it. He rises to his feet and they quickly follow the others.    
  
The sound of wild beeping draws their attention.    
  
“R2! R2! Where have you been?” 3PO demands of his friend.    
  
As R2 replies, Leia asks (Y/N), “Where’s Luke?”    
  
“Facing Vader,” she answers simply.    
  
“But I-we-“   
  
“Luke knew what was waiting for him here. He’s beyond our reach for now. Focus on Han.”   
  
They turn another corner and the open door revealing the platform shows Fett’s ship lifting into the air.    
  
Leia and Chewie shoot at it in frustration and desperation while (Y/N) curses under her breath.    
  
“Oh no!” 3PO’s panicked voice makes (Y/N) turn away from the shrinking ship, “Chewie they’re behind you!”   
  
(Y/N) starts shooting at the troopers that fire at them from within the building. Leia and Lando scramble to find cover.    
  
There’s a brief lull in the fire that lets them slip back inside the building before it picks up again vigorously. Lando leads them to an elevator.    
  
(Y/N)’s the last to it, looking over her shoulder to call, “R2, come on!”   
  
The droid beeps frantically from where he spins in circles near the platform door. He’s making his way to them but the Imperial troops are regrouping.    
  
“Hold the door,” (Y/N) orders and runs back to the droid. She drops into a slide, firing with both blasters at the troopers. Her tucked foot twists and pushes up, popping her back onto her feet. She puts her one blaster back in its holster for a moment and approaches R2. (Y/N) plants a hand on his domed head, using it as a base to swing her body and roundhouse kick the blaster from a trooper’s hands. She twists in midair, letting her hand leave R2. It retakes the blaster to shoot the unarmed trooper. (Y/N) falls back to the ground feet first, shooting at the Imperial troops the entire time, twirling with the momentum on her toes with the gracefulness and fluidity of a dancer.    
  
R2 takes the opportunity to wheel towards the elevator and (Y/N) follows not too far behind. A lone trooper moves to stand between them and the elevator. (Y/N) springs up from her crouched position and starts running. She shoots the blaster from his hands before holstering her own. (Y/N) leaps over R2 to slam her feet into the trooper’s chest. Her weight knocks him to the ground and they go tumbling down. (Y/N) slips a knife into the trooper’s neck as they fall and once the man’s back hits the floor, (Y/N) is tucking her head and rolling forward. She quickly regains her footing and chucks the bloody knife through the air. It easily finds its target: the heart of an Imperial officer who had been calling for backup. The man grunts in surprise and falls to the ground.    
  
(Y/N) straightens and pulls out her blaster, shooting the communicator before someone else can pick it up. R2 beeps from the elevator and (Y/N) scurries into the small compartment right before the door closes, cutting off their view of nothing but dead troopers.    
  
She stands in the elevator, staring blankly at the wall, mentally assessing the situation. Leia and Chewie are used to her, but (Y/N) can see Calrissian staring at her in shock.    
  
The door opens behind her and they all exit the elevator, following Calrissian to a door that leads them in the right direction. He manipulates the controls, but the door stays shut.    
  
“The security code has been changed.”   
  
3PO speaks up from Chewie’s back, “R2, you can tell the computer to override the security code.”   
  
(Y/N) watches Calrissian walk over to a different panel, which spits out a small wand-like device. He plucks it from the panel and speaks into it. (Y/N) can hear his voice from over the PA system, “Attention! This is Lando Calrissian. The Empire has taken control of the city. I advise everyone to leave before more Imperial troops arrive.”   
  
R2’s frantic beeping draws her attention. Chewie pulls him away from the power socket as the little droid’s head spins round and round.    
  
“This way,” Lando instructs, leading them away from the unagreeable door.    
  
R2 beeps accusingly at 3PO, who protests in return, “Don’t blame me! I’m an interpreter. I’m not supposed to know a power socket from a computer terminal.”   
  
Lando leads them a different way, past civilians of the city running around in attempts to flee. They come to a stop at another door and R2 saddles up to the terminal.    
  
(Y/N) steps away from the door to tuck against a different wall. She uses it as a shield against the Imperial troops that have caught up with them due to the time wasted in the detour.   
  
She hears 3PO exclaim happily and takes it as cue that the door is open. (Y/N) darts across the way to walk through it but stops in her tracks. It’s the Falcon. They’re trying to escape.    
  
“Wait,” she looks up at Chewie, “What about Luke?”   
  
Chewie shakes his head and lightly pushes her in the direction of the ship.    
  
Lando and Leia round the corner to come onto the platform. (Y/N) moves to walk past them and back into the building when Chewie’s hairy arm wraps around her waist. He lifts her from the ground and (Y/N) flails in his grasp, “No! Let me go! Chewie!”   
  
Chewie barks at her while shooting the troopers. (Y/N) fires at them as well, while her other hand is punching Chewie’s arm.    
  
“We can’t leave him! Luke!” (Y/N) yells pointlessly. 

Leia hurries along with them, “(Y/N), you said so yourself that he was beyond our reach!”   
  
“Let me go!”   
  
“We don’t even know where he is,” Leia tries to reason with her, “And even if we found him, Vader would just use us against him.”   
  
(Y/N) fights harder, “We can’t leave him with Vader! Let me go!”   
  
“(Y/N), we can’t!” 

Chewie barks in agreement. 

(Y/N) shouts wordlessly in frustration, legs swinging back to kick Chewie. But it’s useless. She is no match for his Wookiee strength.    
  
Chewie ducks down to climb up the Falcon’s ramp, but not low enough given 3PO’s “Ouch! Oh! Ah! That hurt. Bend down, you thoughtless-ow!”   
  
Once in the ship, Chewie releases her. (Y/N) immediately flies down the ramp before being jerked to a stop by Chewie grabbing her jacket. He growls at her and yanks her back up the ramp. Her feet skid across the metal as she screams Luke’s name. 

“No!” (Y/N) yells as he tosses her into a storage closet. She tries to storm back out but he shuts the door in her face. (Y/N) punches the door angrily, “Chewbacca! Leia! Let me out.”   
  
There’s no reply. (Y/N) feels the ship lift off the ground and she punches the door again, “Damn it!”   
  
She pulls out her comlink, “Luke? Are you there?”   
  
No answer. (Y/N) chucks the comlink across the small space, “What is the point of having comlinks with someone if they never answer?!”   
  
She paces back and forth, fuming for a while.    
  
(Y/N) starts to scan the wall around the door. The wiring for the locking mechanism is embedded somewhere. If she could get to it, she could unlock the door. While she racks her brain, trying to remember which side the panel is on, the door opens on its own.    
  
Leia steps back preemptively, hands raised. (Y/N) stomps out, voice shaking with rage, “Who the hell-“   
  
“Luke is in the medical area,” Leia cuts her off.    
  
“What?” (Y/N) stops short.    
  
“He’s in the medical area,” Leia repeats, “I’ll be in the cockpit,” and disappears.    
  
(Y/N) shakes her head, ridding her mind of dark thoughts for a moment, and goes to the small medical room in the Falcon.   


He’s there. 

“Luke.”   
  
He looks up at (Y/N) from where he is getting up from the bed. Luke’s face is cut, his hair is damp from sweat, and his cradles one arm close to his body. He’s bruised and beaten and exhausted, but he’s here.    
  
(Y/N) steps forward and Luke springs from the bed. He practically falls onto (Y/N), wrapping his arm tightly around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder. (Y/N)’s not sure how to proceed, she’s never held someone before. (Y/N) awkwardly cradles his elbows in her hands, the closeness is too foreign for her to even think of hugging him back. She supports Luke’s weight and her lips brush his hair, tasting the faint saltiness of his sweat, “Hey! Are you okay?”   
  
Luke’s hand grips the back of her jacket tightly.    
  
“Luke, it’s okay,” (Y/N) soothes, “You’re okay.”   
  
He steps back, but not far. (Y/N)’s fingers trail down his forearm to the binding that ends where his hand should begin. Except it isn’t there. Her touch is soft, just like her voice, “Vader did this?”   
  
Luke flinches at the name, and glancing at the door behind (Y/N), “Something’s happening.”   
  
(Y/N) follows a half-step behind Luke, watching him closely.    
  
They enter the cockpit and Luke’s head is tilted upward. (Y/N) looks away from him for the first time to look up as well. A large Imperial ship is close, almost tractor beam range close. Her fist clenches.    
  
Lando moves around the cockpit, checking control boards.    
  
“It’s Vader,” Luke says, voice laced with exhaustion and fear.    
  
“What’s happening?” (Y/N) asks Leia as Luke sinks into a seat. (Y/N) stands next to him, close enough that the rocking of the ship bumps his shoulder against her side.    
  
“The hyperdrive wasn’t fixed,” Leia offers accusingly.    
  
(Y/N)’s noses crinkles, thinking for some reason that Leia was wrong. Her train of thought is stopped by Luke’s intake of breath. He says softly, so softly she almost doesn’t hear it, “Ben, why didn’t you tell me?”   
  
(Y/N) bends slightly, getting closer to Luke. His eyes open and his attention is on the other ship, so she hadn’t misheard. He was trying to speak to Ben. About what, she wasn’t sure. Something with Vader, something the Sith Lord had revealed? Something about their fight?

She frowns as she looks back to the nearby Imperial ship. If the hyperdrive wasn’t working, they would soon be captured. And her efforts would have been for nothing. She would have failed to protect these people, just like she failed with Han. (Y/N) shakes the thought from her mind, she can’t wallow in self hatred right now. She needs a plan. They won’t last two minutes against an entire ship of troops, even with (Y/N) leading the defense, so that’s out of the question. But Vader won’t sense her as long as her shields stay up and she doesn’t reveal herself to him by mounting an open defense, so she can avoid capture. She’ll have to sacrifice the others to imprisonment. But if (Y/N) plays her cards right, she’ll be able to break them out and escape. It won’t be easy though, and (Y/N)’s racing mind is already calculating the millions of variables that have to go in her favor for it to work.    
  
Suddenly, the Falcon’s engine springs to life around them as the hyperdrive kicks into high gear. Leia and Luke fall back into the chairs at the unexpected jerk while Lando and (Y/N) stumble back a step. They all steady as the light of the stars outside the ship stretch out into blurry streaks.    
  
Lando brushes past (Y/N) to claim the pilot’s seat beside Leia. She glances between the two of them, seeing the adrenaline drain from their bodies, seeing how they deflate into themselves as the sorrow for Han takes hold.    
  
(Y/N) then looks down at Luke, who is slowly falling to the side from exhaustion. She silently urges him out of the seat and guides him back to the medical room. Luke sits on the padded table without protest. (Y/N) pulls out a knife and cuts him out of his jacket, not wanting to try and work it off around the binding. Her hands run over his torso and arms clinically, searching for cuts, lumps from internal injury. She pokes at his sides to check his ribs. Despite the tears in his jacket, Luke has nothing but bruises and scrapes on his body. (Y/N) chooses to leave the severed limb as is, the binding Leia put on will be enough for the flight. Once they arrive at the fleet, Luke will receive proper treatment and be fitted for a prosthetic.    
  
(Y/N) glances at Luke’s face, noting how silent and still he’s been. Luke is a vibrant person, almost always chatting or moving in some way. This isn’t normal. It wasn’t normal for anyone to be so still, people weren’t made to be statuesque. Luke’s face is blank and his eyes are clouded. He’s going into shock from the trauma.    
  
She takes Luke’s left hand in hers. He has no response to this move, showing just how out of it he is. (Y/N) rubs soothing circles into the back of Luke’s hand with her thumb. She uses one hand to open the medkit, pulling out a wipe packet. She rips it open with her teeth to maintain contact with him. (Y/N) guides Luke’s face upward and brushes his hair back off of his forehead. She wipes the blood from his skin and cleans the shallow cuts that mar the side of his face.    
  
(Y/N) can see the way Luke slowly returns to himself as she tends to him. His eyes clear and start to watch her actions and the tremor in his hand disappears. (Y/N) releases her grip, prepared to step back into their usual roles, but Luke’s hand tightens around hers. She hides her surprise and stops trying to pull away. She closes the medkit, offering as casually as she can, “What is it?”   
  
“I didn’t see you when I got onboard,” Luke says softly, “I thought...”   
  
(Y/N) sighs, unable to meet his gaze, “I’m fine.”  


Luke’s hand squeezes hers so tightly, his knuckles are probably white. (Y/N) doesn’t mind though. 

She watches his bicep flex as he pulls her closer. She allows him to. Luke rests his head on her shoulder and lets out a big sigh. She allows him to. 

“It’s okay,” (Y/N) knows Luke is suffering from far more than he can articulate, beyond what even (Y/N) can perceive. It’s something he has to process on his own, and will share with her if and when he wants, but she will be here for him regardless, “You’re okay.”   
  
She can feel Luke’s breath on her neck. Her legs are bent slightly to make it more comfortable for him, but the muscles don’t offer any protest. She was sculpted into unforgiving steel years ago.    
  
(Y/N) murmurs softly under her breath, trying to offer comfort for whatever Luke is going through. She has a weird ache in her chest that shouldn’t be there. The bruising from the ice roof collapsing on her had long since healed and she had suffered no injuries in the fight on the floating city.    
  
(Y/N) doesn’t realize how absorbed she is until quiet footsteps catch her ear, sounding closer than when she usually detects them. She glances to the door and sees Leia come to stand in the opening. (Y/N) nods at her in greeting before returning her attention to Luke. She silently mouths, “I’m so sorry. I won’t let this happen again, I won’t let you out of my sight. I’m sorry,” words hidden by Luke’s hair so Leia can’t see.    
  
She steps back, taking her hand from Luke’s. He makes a noise of protest at having his headrest removed but spots Leia. She walks into the room, taking (Y/N)’s place, if just a little further away.    
  
(Y/N) leaves the room to give them privacy, left hand still warm from Luke’s. She sits down silently in one of the cockpit seats, mind drifting as she watches the stars outside the windows. Her fingers curl and uncurl.  


***  


(Y/N) stands by Luke as his prosthetic hand is attached. She watches his face closely, eyes scanning for any flicker of pain. When he flinches, (Y/N)’s eyes snap over to the medical droid accusingly but says nothing, eventually returning to watching Luke.    
  
She has been standing there the whole time. She had followed Luke as he journeyed here from the Falcon now docked to the larger rebel ship. She had stood silently by his side as the medical droid prepped for the procedure and the group discussed how to retrieve Han. Lando and Chewie would be leaving for Tatooine in a few moments, where they would settle down and wait for Fett to appear. Luke would be headed for Tatooine at a later date, after his procedure. And Leia would stay with the rebel fleet, where she had duties and obligations, but had made it clear that she would not sit on the sidelines once it was time to free Han.    
  
(Y/N) glances over her shoulder at Lando and Chewie who are speaking quietly with Leia. Her hand rests close to Luke’s covered leg, not close enough to touch, but enough that she can feel his body heat. Her other hand, the one on the side Luke can’t see, taps against her leg. She knows what is about to be asked of her. And she knows what her answer will be. Her skills will be better suited with Lando and Chewie, she will achieve nothing by moping around on a ship filled with people who don’t want her there. And even if it wasn’t for the betterment of the mission, (Y/N) would go to Tatooine anyway. She failed to save Han twice, she has to make up for that. Has to right her wrong. She cannot fail again.    
  
“(Y/N)?”   
  
(Y/N) keeps her features neutral and looks at Luke. 

Luke’s blue eyes flicker across her face, “Will you go with them?”   
  
It burns. Irrationally, (Y/N) wants to refuse. She doesn’t want to leave Luke. He is still vulnerable and recovering from his ordeal with Vader. He needs a solid presence at his side. And while Leia has never not been strong, she is also suffering. (Y/N) is too, in her own way, but she’s always been able to separate her emotions from herself, always been able to slip into a reptilian coldness where everything is objective and she feels nothing. 

She wants to stay with Luke and stop his suffering. She only just made the promise that only she knew of to not let Luke from her sight, and she didn’t want to go back on it. But even as (Y/N) spoke the juvenile words, she knew it was a doomed promise, one that would soon be broken. She just thought she would have had more time than this.    
  
“Of course,” is her immediate reply.    
  
(Y/N) traces the planes and angles of Luke’s face with her eyes, following the different lines and features that make it up as if she is trying to copy it perfectly to memory. She raises her hand from the bed and rests it on Luke’s shoulder. She squeezes the muscle under the thin shirt with a weight similar to their handshake on Dagobah.    
  
(Y/N)’s hand falls away and she turns from Luke. She walks to the door and stops before leaving the room.    
  
“Leia.”   
  
Leia looks over at her from where she stands by the large window.    
  
“I will find Han. I promise,” (Y/N) says with steel and determination in her voice.    
  
Leia nods once, face and movements tight with pain.    
  
(Y/N) leaves the room without another glance back.    
  
She walks to the docking port for the Falcon and climbs down. She goes to the cockpit and stiffly reclaims her seat from the earlier journey.    
  
Lando announces his presence behind her, “Are you coming?”   
  
“Yes,” (Y/N) says, voice void of any inflection, “I’m coming.”   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is a bit short, but I promise the next few will make up for it!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The majority of this chapter is a flashback. The flashback is separated by ~~~ instead of the usual ***.

“Go to Mos Espa,” (Y/N) instructs Chewie as Tatooine looms closer.  
  
He barks in question.  
  
“It has ports for the Falcon, isn’t Mos Eisley, and I have a place where we can stay.”  
  
Chewie nods and adjusts his approach to the planet.  
  
(Y/N)’s mind drifts to the past, remembering the mission that brought her to Tatooine in her youth.

~~~

(Y/N) exits her ship and is immediately greeted by a largely grey human man and a Dug, the later being the one who contacted The League.  
  
“Rekungah.” It isn’t a question. Who else would be waiting for her?  
  
“Shadow (Y/N),” Rekungah gestures to the man, “This is Malo Pop’ee.”  
  
“Thank you for coming, Shadow (Y/N),” Malo bows unnecessarily, “Right this way, my home is not far from here.”  
  
“Lead the way,” (Y/N) offers flatly.  
  
The trio walks down the sandy streets of Mos Espa. (Y/N) looks around, taking in Tatooine for the first time. The buildings are bland and monochromatic like the environment and the people dress just as plainly. It’s an incredibly boring planet, one (Y/N) imagines many would call ‘quaint’. People who feel compelled to be polite, or those who live here and tell themselves it’s ‘quaint’ to avoid the truth that they live on a desolate planet and just let the desert swallow them whole in their self pity. But (Y/N) doesn’t live here, and she doesn’t care about the people who do, so she calls it what it is: boring.  
  
Malo opens the door to a house virtually identical to the ones on either side and they enter. He leads them to the kitchen, asking nervously, “Can I get you something to drink, (Y/N)? Oh, apologies, Shadow (Y/N).”  
  
“Water. And just ‘(Y/N)’ is fine.” She isn’t sure which of them came up with the idea that she needed to be called ‘Shadow’ as if it was a title or sign of respect. It wasn’t. It is simply what she is. And (Y/N) wasn’t entitled to respect anyway, she was nothing but an extension of her Masters. They were the ones to be addressed with reverence. Not her.  
  
“I apologize,” Malo says, placing a cup in front of her with a shaky hand, “Have you ever been to Tatooine before?”  
  
“No,” (Y/N) answers simply after a sip of water.  
  
“I’ll admit it’s not much,” Malo offers, “but I think it’s rather quaint in some ways.”  
  
(Y/N) smirks but says nothing.  
  
“She’s not here to talk about the weather,” Rekungah spits, “Sit down.”  
  
Malo sits, hands fidgeting on the table before dropping to his lap at Rekungah’s annoyed huff.  
  
“Rekungah says your daughter was taken,” (Y/N) prompts.  
  
“Yes,” Malo says, “my Brie. She was taken by vile men...slavers.”  
  
“When was she taken?”  
  
“Six months ago.”  
  
(Y/N)’s mouth twists in irritation, “Six months? She probably isn’t even on this planet anymore. The League is not being paid nearly enough to go traipsing across the galaxy searching for your daughter.”  
  
Malo shakes his head, “She is on Tatooine. I know it.”  
  
“Fatherly intuition?” (Y/N) asks sarcastically.  
  
“I-“  
  
“No,” Rekungah cuts Malo off, “I have connections to the slavers that took her. She is being held in a facility on the other side of Mos Eisley.”  
  
“Mos Eisley?”  
  
“Yes,” Rekungah nods, “a port city not too far from here. She will be moved soon...possibly to another planet, I’m not sure. That is why we reached out, she must be recovered now.”  
  
Malo leans forward, tears in his eyes, “Please, (Y/N), please bring my Brie home.”  
  
Rekungah pulls Malo back into his chair, “Pull yourself together.”  
  
(Y/N) stands, “I should have her home by tomorrow.”  
  
“Thank you, thank you.”  
  
(Y/N) barely spares Malo a glance, addressing Rekungah, “Do you have anymore intel for me?”  
  
“My connection isn’t at that facility,” Rekungah sneers, “but if it’s run anything like his...they’re all sloppy drunks.”  
  
(Y/N) raises an unimpressed eyebrow and leaves.  
  
She walks down the street, searching for transportation. Eventually finding a speeder two blocks over, (Y/N) climbs on and drives away without any regard for who might be missing it. After asking a woman on the street for directions to Mos Eisley, she’s gone.  
  
(Y/N) drives through the endless desert for hours, lulled into a peaceful mindset by the empty scenery. She settles into herself, mentally preparing for her mission.  
  
She stops at the edge of a settlement she doesn’t know the name of to make sure she’s still going in the right direction.  
  
A couple hours after that, after seeing nothing but sand, a blip on the horizon appears. (Y/N) veers to the left and drives towards it. It’s a house, just one. (Y/N) isn’t sure what someone does out in the desert all alone, but can see people moving around. She slows the speeder as she nears the man watching her.  
  
(Y/N) pushes her goggles up and removes the fabric protecting her face. She takes a long swig from her canteen as he approaches her.  
  
“What’re you doing all the way out here?”  
  
(Y/N) scans the area around them, “I have business in Mos Eisley.“  
  
“Business?”  
  
(Y/N) nods, “Can you point me in the right direction?”  
  
The man points to the right, “You’ve managed well enough on your own. It isn’t too much further that way, you should be there by nightfall.”  
  
(Y/N) glances at the two suns that hang low in the sky, and the figure who stands a distance from her. They are angled in a way that says they had been watching the suns start to set, but their head is now turned to look at (Y/N) and the man.  
  
(Y/N) looks back at the man, “Much appreciated.”  
  
“Owen.”  
  
She hadn’t been asking, so she offers nothing in return.  
  
The man nods and (Y/N) replaces the goggles and fabric. She shifts gears and speeds away. He calls out something, for her or the other person (Y/N) isn’t sure, as it’s carried away in the wind.  
  
Owen is right, she reaches Mos Eisley as the last light disappears. And she reaches her true target, the slavers’ facility, safely under the cover of darkness.  
  
(Y/N) brings her speeder to a stop and jumps from it. She sees no watchtowers, or any evidence of surveillance. She walks with caution, but reaches the building without issue. The door isn’t even locked. (Y/N) slips inside and wanders down the halls, hiding in the shadows whenever she hears noise. But no one finds her. She passes an open door, revealing a number of men passed out with bottles littering the tables. (Y/N) rolls her eyes and continues on her way.  
  
She finds the cells quickly and, after killing the one guard on duty, starts looking inside them. Every time she spots a human, she asks, “Brie?”  
  
A few of them shake their heads, several claim to be her, but can’t answer any of her questions. Countless call to her, begging to be saved instead.  
  
“Hey!”  
  
(Y/N) looks at the green Twi’lek, “What?”  
  
“You’re looking for Brie?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
A woman hurries over to the cell door, “I’m Brie!”  
  
(Y/N) walks over to the woman who looks at her eagerly. She looks at least ten years older than (Y/N), if not more. She wasn’t provided a holo of Brie, but this woman has the same eyes as Malo, so it’s possible, “You’re Brie?”  
  
“Yes!” She answers with tears in her eyes, “Did my father send you?”  
  
(Y/N)’s eyebrow ticks up, “What is his name?”  
  
“Malo, Malo Pop’ee!”  
  
“Where are you from?”  
  
“Mos Espa!”  
  
(Y/N) lifts up the ring of keys she took from the dead guard and starts fiddling with her cell door.  
  
“Thank you!” Brie sobs, hands fumbling uselessly at the door, “Thank you! My father sent you, didn’t he?”  
  
“Yes,” (Y/N) says as the lock clicks. She opens the door and steps inside to unlock the cuff on Brie’s ankle. Brie grabs at her arm, rubbing her shoulder in an awkward attempt at thanks.  
  
Brie rushes out of the door once she’s free and (Y/N) follows her, “Let’s go.”  
  
(Y/N) is already walking away when Brie says, “Wait.”  
  
(Y/N) looks over her shoulder.  
  
“We can’t leave without Shaey.”  
  
“Who?”  
  
Brie slips her hand through the bars to grab the hand of the Twi’lek who had caught (Y/N)’s attention. Shaey looks at her with desperate eyes. (Y/N) glances in the cell and see another green Twi’lek lying motionlessly on the ground.  
  
“I didn’t come here to free slaves,” (Y/N) says shortly, “I came here for you and only you. Now let’s go.”  
  
“No!” Brie insists, “I won’t leave Shaey here.”  
  
“Then I will leave you here to die with her.”  
  
Brie stands firmly at the cell door.  
  
“You would sacrifice your freedom for her?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Why?” (Y/N) grimaces, at a loss.  
  
“I love her.”  
  
(Y/N) rolls her eyes, “Please.”  
  
Brie rolls her eyes back, “I’m not leaving without Shaey. So you’ll have to free her or leave us both.”  
  
A muscle in (Y/N)’s jaw jumps. Her mission perimeters were clear. If she returned to the Temple empty-handed, she would be punished. But her Masters wouldn’t know about Shaey unless (Y/N) said something.  
  
(Y/N) walks back into the cell and starts fiddling with Shaey’s cuff.  
  
Shaey and Brie beam at each other.  
  
“We’re getting out of here.”  
  
“I know. I never thought this day would come,” Shaey gushes.  
  
“I love you.”  
  
“I love you too.”  
  
“ _Angel_ ,” a weak voice says. (Y/N) ignores it. It’s the other Twi’lek.  
  
“ _Angel_.” (Y/N) jerks away as a hand unexpectedly grabs at her arm.  
  
(Y/N) looks at the Twi’lek, taking in her appearance. She’s wrapped in rags and an unhealthy amount of blood stains the thin mattress below her. Fresh blood.  
  
She looks back to Twi’lek’s sickly pale face, “ _I’m no angel_.”  
  
“ _Yes, you are_ ,” she smiles at (Y/N), eyes cloudy, “ _I can...I can see your wings_.”  
  
(Y/N) frowns as the lock remains closed. She looks away from the Twi’lek to focus on her task. The next key works and Shaey’s ankle slips free. Her and Brie hug tightly.  
  
“ _Angel...please_.”  
  
(Y/N) looks back to the Twi’lek. She pulls back her wrappings to reveal a newborn baby. The Twi’lek shoves the child into her hands, “ _Please, save my baby girl from this place_.”  
  
Not about to let the baby fall to the ground, as it’s cries could draw a guard, (Y/N) cradles the baby awkwardly in her hands.  
  
“ _Kiya!_ ” Shaey falls to Kiya’s side, “ _Stay with me. Stay with me, Kiya_.”  
  
“ _It is too late for me_ ,” Kiya weakly grabs Shaey’s hand, “ _but it’s okay_.”  
  
“ _No! Kiya!_ ”  
  
“ _You...you have an angel watching over you. Do you see her?_ ” Kiya asks softly, “ _Do you see her wings?_ ”  
  
Kiya’s hand squeezes Shaey’s, “ _I love you, Shaey_.”  
  
“ _I love you too_ ,” Shaey sobs.  
  
Kiya looks at her baby who rests in (Y/N)’s hands, “ _Sweet child...you have so much...to see_.”  
  
Kiya’s eyes close and don’t open again.  
  
“ _Kiya? Kiya!_ ”  
  
Brie drops down next to Shaey to pull her into a hug.  
  
(Y/N) stands, newborn cradled against her body, “We have to leave, we’ve been here too long.”  
  
Shaey wipes her tears, leaning over to kiss her sister’s forehead, and stands on shaky legs.  
  
They exit the cell.  
  
“Keep quiet,” (Y/N) instructs the baby who just coos in response, “or I will leave you here,” she looks at the two women holding hands, “The same goes for you. Do as I say or you will die.”  
  
The other prisoners scream and yell at her, begging for (Y/N) to save them too. (Y/N) walks past them all without a glance, their calls falling on deaf ears. She learned how to ignore people begging for their lives a long time ago. 

(Y/N) hears the clink of keys and Brie’s frantic whispers that tell her the woman probably gave one of the still imprisoned slaves the keys. (Y/N) says nothing but waits for the duo all the same. Not her mission, not her concern. 

She leads the couple through the halls. They run into guards who are responding to the shouts of the prisoners, but (Y/N) kills them easily. She steps over their bodies, nose wrinkled in disgust. Sloppy slaver scum.  
  
Her speeder had been a single rider that could fit one other, but it won’t do now. She hurries to the side of the building where other speeders sit. (Y/N) climbs into the one closest to the gate, tucking the sleeping newborn into her coat and zipping it closed. Brie and Shaey climb into the backseat and (Y/N) speeds away.

(Y/N) drives back towards Mos Eisley, needing to retrace her steps to avoid getting lost in the vast desert that goes on endlessly in every direction. (Y/N) taps her fingers rhythmically on the steering wheel in thought. 

She drives through the night as Brie and Shaey sleep in each other’s arms. (Y/N) has no food for the baby, so she feeds her water. 

The twin suns are just starting to emerge beyond the horizon when she hears it. 

The sound of other engines.

(Y/N) glances over her shoulder and can see a small group of speeders approaching them. 

She faces forward again, looking at the empty span of desert. (Y/N) looks down at the small sleeping face of the newborn Twi’lek snuggled up against her chest. 

“Alright.”

(Y/N) sheds her jacket, swaddling the child and pulls her legs up to turn and face the backseat. She smacks the arm of Brie and then Shaey, “Hey! Hey! Wake up!”

“What?” Brie jumps, blinking sleep from her eyes, “What's happening? Shaey, wake up!”

(Y/N) thrusts out the bundle, “We have company, take the child.”

Shaey straightens, “What?”

“We have company,” (Y/N) says again, “Take the child.”

Shaey takes the baby into her arms, “What’re you going to do?”

(Y/N) rolls her eyes, grabbing her blaster, “I’m more than capable of handling some slavers.”

“Don’t let them take us!” Brie pleads, “Please, we can’t go back to that place.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Shaey asks. 

(Y/N) reaches back to adjust the steering wheel, “Stay here, you’d only get in the way.”

She stands up tall, feeling the wind whip past her and blowing at her hair and shirt, and lifts her blaster. Brie and Shaey look up at her. (Y/N) opens fire on the approaching speeders. She can see the group is made up of a few single riders, as well multi-riders like the one (Y/N) stole from the facility. Her shots hit a few of the people, as well as the front of one of the single riders, making it crash. It tumbles to the ground and sends the person flying through the air. 

A few of the people fire back, but miss her. One shot hits the back of the speeder and the engine starts expelling smoke. 

“Fuck,” (Y/N) mutters as the speeder begins to slow. The other speeders, which had already been gaining, start coming even faster. 

“What are we going to do?!” Brie cries. 

“Hold onto something,” (Y/N) orders, reaching back to jerk the steering wheel sharply. The speeder turns on a dime, breaking off to the right. The engine sputters in protest, more smoke billowing out. Brie and Shaey shriek and hold onto the sides as the inertia throws them around. (Y/N) fires at the other speeders, angle improved, and takes out several more people. 

The speeders split, some turning to follow their turn while others come around to fly directly at them. 

“Get down,” (Y/N) shouts, dropping down as the people in the speeders open fire. The shots fly over their heads before stopping as the speeders pass. 

“Shaey!” Brie screams. 

(Y/N) lifts her head to look over the seat and sees one of speeders has caught up to them. One of the slavers has crawled over the hood and grabbed Shaey. He’s trying to pull her back into his own speeder. 

(Y/N) glances back to make sure her speeder’s course is clear and jumps over the seat. Her feet land on the back of the speeder. In a crouch, (Y/N) pulls a knife from her thing holster, spinning it in her hand to bring it down through the back of the man’s head. She yanks his hand off of Shaey’s arm, lets him fall to the ground, and says, “Stay here.”

(Y/N) rolls off the speeder and onto the hood of the other. 

Brie screams something but (Y/N) pays it no mind, jumping over the small windguard and driving her knife into the neck of the driver. Her blaster fires several times, killing the other slavers. She shoves the driver off of her knife and pushes him over. (Y/N) takes control of the speeder, correcting its course and steering it back towards the other speeder. Once they are flying parallel to each other, she shoots the control board in front of her, making the speeder shut down. (Y/N) scrambles over the dead bodies and steps back into her own speeder as the wind whips around her. Brie and Shaey look at her with expression equally shocked and scared. 

(Y/N) pays them no mind, seeing how the other speeders are flying closer. She raises her blaster and fires at them again, ducking when they return fire. The windguard behind her cracks and the side of speeder blasts off. She needs to stop this soon, otherwise the speeder will be destroyed and they’ll all be killed or captured. 

She climbs into the back with Brie and Shaey who shout, “What are you doing?!”

“I’m ending this! Stay here!”

(Y/N) jumps through the air, leg swinging to kick the man who rises to meet her. She lands inside the speeder, cutting her way through the slavers. (Y/N) shoots the back of another speeder several times and it explodes. She ducks, throwing up an arm to protect herself from the debris flying everywhere. 

She throws a knife at one of the single riders, the blade sinking into the chest of the rider. He slumps over, falling from the speeder. 

(Y/N) grabs her grapple hook and chucks it at the last speeder. It punches through the glass of the windguard, hooking to the frame. (Y/N) jumps, body flying through the air. She hurtles past, floating behind the speeder like the tail of a kite. She pulls herself closer, grabbing the edge of the speeder. (Y/N) climbs on, somersaulting into the backseat and starts fighting the slavers. She punches a man, pushing him from the speeder. Another man grabs her and (Y/N) throws her head back, breaking his nose. They flip, tumbling in the seat and (Y/N) knees him in the gut, rolling on top to stab him. 

She straightens but has to duck back down to avoid being shot. A man yanks her up and punches her in the face. (Y/N) slices at him with her knife and he jumps away. She plants a hand on the seat, swinging her body around to kick him in the head. (Y/N) continues forward to stab the other man forcefully, knife sinking into the side of his head. 

A blast hits the speeder side that she’s near and (Y/N) looks over to see another slaver on a single rider driving closer to her. 

As she raises her blaster to return fire, she hears a noise that fills her frustration. (Y/N) looks over her shoulder and sees a small shuttle flying through the air. They don’t give up easily on Tatooine. The blasters move into position and open fire on her. She can hear Brie and Shaey screaming. (Y/N) unclips the grappling wipe from her belt and leaps from the speeder. She flies through the air, feet hitting the chest of the slaver. He shouts and is knocked from the speeder, taking (Y/N) with him. She twists, trying to grab some part of the speeder to stay on. Her hand narrowly wraps around a metal rod that leads up to part of the seat. (Y/N)’s feet scramble frantically against the sandy ground for a moment as she turns to pull herself back onto the speeder. She straddles the seat and takes off for where the shuttle is lowering down to the speeder holding Brie and Shaey. 

(Y/N) approaches, climbing down to hang onto the side of the speeder, and yanks the controls. She prays she has enough room as the speeder slides sideways under the shuttle. Her muscles flex to keep her on the side of the speeder and her fingers dig into the edge of the seat. The shuttle’s engines are deafening and (Y/N) is feet away from the exposed turbines that would shred her into bloody confetti in a matter of seconds. The metal bottom inches closer and (Y/N) slips out onto the other side of the shuttle. 

Brie is being pulled into the open door which is just feet from (Y/N). The slaver fighting with Brie doesn’t see her. (Y/N) rolls from her speeder onto the empty one, hurrying to her feet and jumps into the open shuttle door. She tosses the man out past her and he falls to the ground with a scream that soon fades from her ears as they fly away. 

(Y/N) grabs Brie, pulling her back over. 

“Jump!” (Y/N) orders, wind whipping past them. 

“What about-“

(Y/N) pushes her and Brie shrieks as she lands back in the smoking speeder. 

(Y/N) turns and walks further into the shuttle, shooting at anything that moves. 

“Shaey?!”

“I’m here!”

(Y/N) hurries around the wall, knife flying through the air to sink into the heart of the man holding Shaey, completely ignoring his shout for her to freeze. 

“Where’s the child?” (Y/N) spots her bundled jacket and picks up the baby. 

Shaey follows her and (Y/N) pulls a detonator from her belt. 

They approach the door, and (Y/N) shouts, “Jump!”

Shaey leaps from the shuttle and lands on the speeder. (Y/N) tosses the detonator over her shoulder and jumps after her. Her feet land on the pilot seat and she sits down, quickly driving away from the shuttle. 

There’s a muffled boom from inside the shuttle, followed by several more louder ones, ultimately ending with the shuttle exploding into a million pieces. 

(Y/N) steers out of range, watching the burning metal tumble across the sand. 

She shifts in the seat and turns the wheel, directing them back towards where Mos Espa should be located. 

“(Y/N)?”

(Y/N) looks back over her shoulder, asking flatly, “What?”

Shaey blinks at her dumbly. Brie glances between them and finally asks, “Is it over?”

(Y/N) glances past them, offering, “I don’t see anyone else,” and turns back around. 

She drives silently, hearing quiet whispers behind her but not caring what they have to say.

(Y/N) eventually brings the speeder to a stop outside the Pop’ee residence in Mos Espa and Malo runs outside. Brie falls more than climbs out of the speeder, sobbing loudly as she hugs her father. Shaey climbs out with more grace and waits respectfully.  
  
Brie pulls away, wiping her face, and saying with a watery chuckle, “Oh! Daddy, this is Shaey. Shaey, this is my dad, Malo. Daddy, I met her at the facility. She helped me get through everything that happened. We’re....we’re in love.”

Malo pulls Shaey into a big hug, “Thank you for watching out for my baby girl.”  
  
(Y/N) exits the speeder as well.  
  
The group turns to look her. Malo moves to hug her, overwhelmed with emotion and forgetting himself. He stops at the expression on her face.  
  
“Thank you for bringing my daughter home,” Malo says, voice shaky.  
  
“Thank you so much,” Shaey adds.  
  
Brie wipes her cheeks again, “We’re forever in your debt.”  
  
“That won’t be necessary,” (Y/N) answers, “The payment will suffice.”  
  
“Oh, right!” Malo exclaims, “I’ll go get the money,” and hurries inside.  
  
(Y/N) steps closer, offering the child still wrapped in her jacket to Shaey.  
  
The Twi’lek takes the baby, smiling down at her. Shaey looks back at (Y/N), “Thank you. You could have left me there to rot, but you didn’t. And you saved my niece and gave Kiya peace. And you saved us from that shuttle. Thank you.”  
  
(Y/N) wants to walk away from the gushing couple, but cannot leave without payment. She looks away, offering nothing in response, hoping it will discourage them from continuing to speak to her.  
  
Malo exits the house, envelope in hand. He hands it to (Y/N), careful not to touch her hand with his, “It’s all there, I promise.”  
  
“I’m sure it is, for your sake. Farewell.”  
  
(Y/N) turns on her heel and walks away.  
  
“(Y/N)!”  
  
She scowls and looks over her shoulder.  
  
Brie smiles at her, “If you ever need anything, our house is always open.”  
  
(Y/N) waits until she’s facing forward again to roll her eyes.

~~~

Chewie lands the Falcon in an open docking bay.  
  
“Wait here,” (Y/N) instructs them before leaving the ship. She goes to the docking center and enters a false name for herself and the ship, as well as a payment for three months. They’ll probably be on Tatooine longer than that, but she doesn’t want to settle into one place for too much time. It would be best to move the ship periodically to avoid suspicion.   
  
She heads back to retrieve Chewie and Lando, and they are soon walking through Mos Espa. The streets, building, and people are as boring and bland as they were when she first came here.  
  
“Is this a safe house for the League?” Lando asks.  
  
“No,” she answers simply.  
  
(Y/N) knocks on the door of the Pop’ee residence and waits with Lando and Chewie behind her shoulders.  
  
Brie opens the door. She’s aged well, face just a little fuller and a few smile lines, but otherwise the same. Her hair is cut shorter now too.  
  
She frowns at the three of them for a moment before it visibly clicks, “(Y/N)?”  
  
(Y/N) nods once, “Brie.”  
  
Brie’s face lights up at her voice and she moves to hug (Y/N) but corrects her movement, clutching her hands together in front of her chest.  
  
“Come in,” Brie steps out of the doorway, “Come in, please.”

They follow Brie into the house, which is small but decorated decently and with enough color to make up for the shabby outside. 

Brie indicates the large table in a room off of the kitchen. (Y/N) sits down with Lando and Chewie claiming seats next to her. Brie slips from the room.

“What are we doing here?” Lando asks quietly.

“This place can serve as our safe house for as long as we’re here,” (Y/N) explains, “These people won’t betray me. We will be safe here.”

“How do you know? How do you know them?”

(Y/N) stays silent, hearing Brie’s footsteps approaching them.

“I must say,” Brie enters the room, placing drinks on the table, and sits, “I was starting to think you’d never come back here.”  
  
(Y/N)’s jaw unclenches, “I wouldn’t have if I didn’t need to. I’m here for business, not pleasure.”  
  
Brie looks at Lando and Chewie, “Not quite the same business as last time though?”  
  
(Y/N) doesn’t answer.  
  
“I’m Brie Pop’ee. Sorry,” she laughs lightly, “I should have said sooner.”  
  
“Lando Calrissian,” Lando takes her offered hand and kisses the back of it, “And this is Chewbacca.”  
  
“Welcome to Mos Espa.”  
  
Chewie barks. Brie smiles nervously at him, clearly not understanding.  
  
“So what brings you here?” Brie asks innocently.  
  
“Like I said,” (Y/N) answers shortly, “business.”  
  
Brie huffs.  
  
(Y/N) looks away to hide her eye roll.  
  
“Honey?” Shaey’s voice comes from the back of the house, “You here? I know I said we’d be back later, but we got...” Shaey stops talking as she rounds the corner and takes in the scene before her, “...hungry.”  
  
Shaey looks the same as she did when (Y/N) rescued her, Twi’leks always have an ageless quality to their faces, besides no longer looking malnourished. Her jaw drops open as she recognizes (Y/N). A young, ten years old (Y/N) knows for a fact, Twi’lek looks at all of them with wide eyes.  
  
“Are you hungry?” Brie asks, glancing back to the trio.  
  
Lando speaks for them, “We could eat.”

Shaey and Brie stand, leaving the small dining room. They walk back and forth, bringing food and drinks from the kitchen to place on the table while the young girl follows them closely, shy of strangers in her house. They all sit down next to each other on the other side of the table.  
  
“Oh!” Brie laughs, “How rude of me, this is Lando, Chewbacca, and (Y/N). And this is my wife Shaey and-“  
  
“Hey!” the little girl interrupts, “That’s my name!”  
  
(Y/N)’s eyes snap sharply to Shaey and Brie.  
  
“I’m sorry?” Lando asks.  
  
“(Y/N),” she beams up at them, “That’s my name too.”  
  
There’s a brief silence. (Y/N) can feel Lando and Chewie looking at her.  
  
“Small galaxy,” (Y/N) grimaces more than smiles. She’s starting to wonder if they should have gone somewhere else.  
  
And as a grey-haired Malo walks into the room and the whole routine starts again, (Y/N) wishes she had. 


	13. Chapter 13

Lando walks into the dining room, taking the seat by (Y/N). 

She glances over at him, expression guarded. Although Lando isn’t sure if it’s worth calling it ‘guarded’ when she always looks like that. 

“Morning.”

“Morning.”

Lando glances around, “Is it safe to talk here?”

(Y/N) looks around the room, “I don’t see anyone here?”

“No,” he shifts, “I mean in the house.”

Her one eyebrow raises, “I wouldn’t have brought us here if it wasn’t safe.”

“So we can discuss our plans to rescue Han in front of them?”

“Why would you do that?”

“I’m sorry?”

“I imagine we’ll be here for the foreseeable future,” (Y/N) explains slowly as if Lando is the biggest moron in the galaxy, “I can’t think of anything you would have to tell me that would be so urgent that you couldn’t wait to first pull me from the room or wait until I was alone.”

“Oh, yes, I understand,” Lando shifts in the seat, feeling like an animal being dissected, “But if something were to be overheard or they were to piece it together that we intend to take on Jabba, we wouldn’t be in danger?”

“Why would these people want to protect Jabba the Hutt?”

Lando swallows his sigh of frustration. 

“The Pop’ees will not turn us in or anything like that,” (Y/N) continues, possibly sensing his dissatisfaction with the conversation, “You are asking if I trust them? I trust them as much as is needed for us to complete our mission here. They are perfectly decent people.”

“Alright,” Lando says, feeling better, “So, what do you think our first step should be?”

(Y/N) pushes her breakfast plate away, “What do you think?”

Lando’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise, but he recovers before (Y/N) can comment on it, “I think we need to get into Jabba’s inner circle. We need to gain access to wherever he is and be able to be in the room without drawing eyes or suspicion. That way we can get an idea of how Jabba conducts himself, perform some sort of sabotage if needed, as well as know immediately when Han is in his possession.”

(Y/N) is quiet for a moment before saying, “I agree. The quicker we get in, the better.”

“How do you suggest we do that?”

(Y/N) stands, “Let’s go for a walk.”

Lando also stands, “Where are we going?”

“There’s not much to talk about on this dust bowl of a planet, and not many places to talk about it. But when there is, and when they do, it’s at cantinas.”   
  
“What are we listening for?”   
  
(Y/N) smirks, “Local chatter.”  


***

(Y/N) sits at the bar, listening to the chatter around her. 

Lando sits away from her, almost hidden by the bartender’s workstation, already in a conversation of his own. They had come in separately to avoid suspicion when they ultimately sat apart. 

(Y/N) had waited outside for about half an hour, people watching, which had been exhaustingly boring. But she’d been on stakeouts for far longer, so it didn’t bother her too much. The planet is just so incredibly bland. Nothing but sand, tan buildings, beige clothing, grey people, the occasional rusty droid. 

(Y/N) knows she is probably surrounded by bounty hunters right now in this seedy cantina, but she can’t bring herself to be too concerned about any of them. They’re just a bunch of bottom feeders, sitting around in their own sweat, waiting for a chance to beg at Jabba’s table for scraps. Her lip curls in disgust. 

Lando is the only person here with any significant amount of color. His blue cape is long gone, replaced with boring clothing that will allow him to blend in with the crowd. But what little color the clothing does carry is seen by (Y/N), as well as the rich color of his skin and black of his hair. (Y/N) isn’t surprised she sees Lando in such a colorful way, he had already proven himself on Bespin. She understood he could be trusted and relied on, which is why she had asked what his plan was. (Y/N) had already been forming plans and backup plans and contingencies and calculating different risks when she had stood beside Luke as he was fitted for a prosthetic. (Y/N) had been curious to see how Lando’s mind worked, considering he will be her partner for the foreseeable future. Chewie is also here with them, but will largely stay at the Pop’ees’ house to avoid being recognized. It will be Lando that (Y/N) will work closely with, infiltrating Jabba’s posse and compiling information about the inner workings in order to form a proper extraction plan. (Y/N) had no qualms against just finding wherever the Hutt was squatting, putting a blast between his eyes, and taking Han, but she imagined Luke had a different idea of how things would ultimately go. So (Y/N) would be stuck here on the godless planet, dancing to Jabba’s tune to gain his favor for an extended time. 

(Y/N) looks back over to Lando, watching him take a sip from his cup and smile winningly at one of the grey nobodies he was talking to. Though they are a fair distance away from each other, (Y/N) has been taught how to read people. She can see it in his eyes, which contrast his playful manner. They are bright, sharp, and calculating as Lando carefully listens and remembers what is said to and around him. 

The bartender asking for her order pulls (Y/N)’s attention away. As she supplies it, (Y/N) can’t help the smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. At least she’s stuck here with someone competent. 

***

“So how do you know them?”   
  
(Y/N) glances at Lando, “The League sent me to provide a service for them years ago.”   
  
“How deliberately vague of an answer,” Lando complements, looking at her curiously.    
  
(Y/N) is quite the enigma. She had appeared on Cloud City out of nowhere, speaking with unwavering conviction as she told him how she was saving Luke’s friends. Lando still gets goosebumps thinking of the look in her eyes as she gave him his options and told him to choose. He had been planning on turning on Vader anyway, but she had removed any hint of wavering from his mind. Lando hadn’t doubted she could kill everyone in the building, including himself. He is familiar with The League, having contracted with them before, as well as observed Shadows in action under the command of others. 

Lando had known (Y/N) was special before he even knew her name. 

What he hadn’t been expecting though, is that the more time he spent in her company, the more questions he had. Shadows he had met in the past were rather one dimensional. Cut and dry, in and out. No personality, and at times seemed incapable of independent thought. Robotic in the way they took commands and executed them without question. (Y/N) isn’t like that. She spoke with Leia and Chewie familiarly, risked her life to make sure the astrodroid R2-D2 made it to the elevator, and threw a fit over the concept of leaving Luke behind. Lando had even seen Chewie roll his shoulder like she had actually managed to do some damage, which was no easy feat when it came to Wookiee. And now they are on Tatooine, rooming with a family who act like (Y/N) is a god, and have undoubtedly named their child after, who (Y/N) seems impartial to at the best.    
  
“Caught onto that, did you?” (Y/N) says sardonically.    
  
Chewie barks a laugh.    
  
Lando huffs in amusement, “Alright, fine, lets try something else...”   
  
“Must we?” (Y/N) shifts on the bench. She looks out at the street, sharp green eyes searching for her target.    
  
“We must,” Lando says with his patent suave grin.    
  
(Y/N) takes a swig from her canteen.    
  
“I know how expensive the League is, how is the Rebellion paying for your continued services?”   
  
“I don’t work for the Rebellion,” she answers flatly.    
  
“Right,” Lando snaps his fingers, remembering her first words spoken to him, “You said you were on Bespin on behalf of Luke. Alright, how is he paying for you?”   
  
“He isn’t paying, I owe him a debt.”   
  
“A life debt?” Lando says in surprise, and in stupidity. A Shadow would never be able to pledge themselves to someone for life, the League owned them.    
  
“No,” (Y/N)’s nose wrinkles at the dumb question, “Just three tasks.”   
  
“Did he save your life?” Lando is just getting more confused. Even this sort of pledge isn’t something a Shadow could declare. Yet again, (Y/N) is creating more questions than answering.    
  
The corner of (Y/N)’s mouth quirks up, “No...I actually saved his.”   
  
Lando frowns, “Well that doesn’t make sense, why would you owe someone who you already saved?”   
  
“He hit his head,” (Y/N) replies like that answers anything.   
  
“So is rescuing Han one of the three tasks?” Lando didn’t know Luke too well, but he seemed like someone who didn’t ask much of others. But the familiarity between (Y/N) and the others said they had known each other for a while, it seemed unlikely Luke hadn’t used up his tasks by now. Especially given the life he lives.    
  
“I suppose,” (Y/N) says before rising from the bench, “There.”   
  
Lando follows her with Chewie at his side, “You’ll have to fill me in.”    
  
Chewie growls.    
  
How could (Y/N) not be sure? Why would she do something like come to Tatooine and rescue Han if it wasn’t something Luke tasked her with? Lando needs answers, and he isn’t going to get them from (Y/N).    
  
He shakes his head. Having a conversation with (Y/N) is like playing a game of Sabacc, a game of Dejarik, and trying to juggle all at the same time. She always seems five steps ahead of Lando, considering her overall answer, the words that make it up, and the response it will get all in milliseconds. (Y/N) never did or said anything unless she wanted to and she did it all as easily as breathing. Lando wonders how much is a conscious effort.    
  
Lando is pulled from his thoughts by (Y/N) grabbing a Dug’s limbs and dragging him into an alley.    
  
“ _Hey! Hey! I don’t have any money!_ ”   
  
“I think we both know that’s a lie, Rekungah,” (Y/N) replies.    
  
Rekungah peers at (Y/N)’s face, before smiling, “Shadow (Y/N)! Long time, no see. I didn’t know you gave such rude greetings.”   
  
Lando can’t see (Y/N)’s face, but can hear the disgusted expression, “I’m not here to talk about the weather.”   
  
Rekungah’s tone goes cold, “Then why are you here?”   
  
“Why am I here on Tatooine? Business, as always. Why am I here in the alley? You have information I need.”   
  
“I must say, Shadow (Y/N),” Rekungah toys with one of his tendrils, trying to reclaim his dignity, “you aren’t making a strong argument for why I should give it to you. I don’t appreciate being roughed around by a child.”   
  
(Y/N) pulls out her blaster, “I think you forget yourself, Rekungah, and me. I may be young, but I provided my services for you and Malo when I was much younger. If you want to be able to walk again, you will remember that I am not some child playing make-believe.”   
  
Without another word, she shoots the Dug in his left shoulder. Rekungah cries out in pain, cursing in Huttese.    
  
“Now tell me where Jabba is.”   
  
“ _Bitch_ ,” Rekungah spits at (Y/N)’s feet, “I don’t know where Jabba is, he has a number of palaces.”   
  
“You know. Scum like you always know,” (Y/N) snarls back.    
  
She shoots his other shoulder and Rekungah screams. He cries out for help and (Y/N) smacks him across the face with her blaster, “Quiet! The only words coming out of your mouth should be Jabba’s location.”   
  
“Name a price!” Rekungah gasps out through his tears, “Yes! You Shadows alway have a price. I’ll double it! Triple!”   
  
“There isn’t one,” (Y/N) says with deadly calmness.    
  
“What do you mean?” Rekungah whimpers.    
  
“There isn’t a price to match or one that you could offer that could sway me. So I suggest you stop wasting my time with your pathetic sniveling before I get impatient,” (Y/N) puts the blaster on Rekungah’s chest, where his heart is beating so hard Lando thinks he can hear it, “Where is Jabba?”   
  
“The Dude Sea Palace!” Rekungah sobs, “The one with the Rancor! Please! Please don’t kill me.”   
  
(Y/N) lowers her blaster, “That was much harder than it needed to be, wasn’t it?”   
  
“Yes!” Rekungah cries, “Please don’t kill me.”   
  
(Y/N) bows her head, “Thank you for your cooperation,” and shoots Rekungah in the chest. The Dug doesn’t even have a chance to cry out before he’s dead.    
  
Lando jerks back in surprise but Chewie seems unmoved by (Y/N)’s actions.

***

“Lando,” (Y/N) says as she enters the room. 

Lando looks up, “Yes?”

“You have connections.” It isn’t a question. 

He nods. 

“We’re going to need clothing to fit the roles. I can’t go before Jabba looking like a Shadow,” (Y/N) touches the front of her plain, grey jacket even though her mind is focused on her collar, “And you’ll need something to cover your face. We’re making our move soon, now that we have our token, we need to look the part.”

Lando smiles at her, “I’m actually ahead of you here. And we don’t need my connections, I’ve been looking through the closets of the Falcon. She was my ship before Han took her from me, did you know that?”

“I was under the impression Han won it fairly from you in a game of Sabacc,” (Y/N) replies flatly. 

“Fairly?” Lando protests, “Han’s never played fair in his entire life.”

“Regardless,” (Y/N) says, eager to move on from this part of the conversation, “you believe there is enough onboard?”

Lando nods, standing, “We can go look around now for a bit, it's still a while before dinner.”

(Y/N) steps to the side to let him leave the room, “We hardly need to be back in time for dinner.”

“Yes, we do. It’s the polite thing to do.”

(Y/N) rolls her eyes even though Lando’s not looking.

***  


(Y/N) walks with Lando down the dark hallways of Jabba’s Palace.    
  
She glances at Lando, checking his disguise again. Tantel armor. A dark shirt covered with grey armor that is minimalistic in both design and application. White pants, brown boots, he carries a blaster and a staff. The most important part of the disguise is the helmet. The helmet itself is rather basic, large and protective, and covers his entire head. The key is the mask aspect, as it covers his face. Utilizing Gondar tusks, it obscures his features in a tasteful way that doesn’t come off suspiciously deliberate. 

(Y/N) is not afflicted with that same issue, so her face is uncovered. She wears a dark blue cape she found in the back of one of the Falcon’s closets, redesigned into a skirt. It hooks around her legs in a way that her right leg easily passes beyond the fabric in what comes off as enticing, but really is just to increase her mobility. While that leg is bare due to the short cut of the pant she wears underneath, her left leg is covered to the ankle. It stays safely within the confines of the cape, cleverly hiding that it is covered in weapons. Her shirt is basic, hugging her body and leaves her arms exposed. Her only visible weapon is a blaster on her right hip.    
  
Bib Fortuna leads them to the throne room and climbs up to Jabba’s side.    
  
(Y/N) pulls the body she had been dragging behind her to kneel between Lando and herself.    
  
“ _Greetings, Your Highness. I am Xan’a Mych and this is my associate Tamtel Skreej. We come before you today with a gift._ ”   
  
She removes the bag, revealing the bloody face of a Trandoshan.    
  
Jabba laughs deeply, “ _Tipsk, I was beginning to think you had managed to escape my reach. I’m not often wrong, but in this instance, I’m pleased to see I am._ “   
  
“Jab-Mighty Jabba,” Tipsk stutters, “Please, I can explain. Please-“   
  
“ _Silence! The time for explanation came and went while you hid yourself away like the coward you are._ ”   
  
“Jabb-“   
  
Lando stops Tipsk with a smack of his staff, “What part of ‘silence’ do you not understand?”   
  
Jabba chortles, “ _Hit him again_.”   
  
Lando complies. Tipsk hisses angrily but says nothing.    
  
Jabba addresses (Y/N) and Lando, “ _This is quite the gift. Bib will ensure you are paid in full._ ”   
  
“ _Thank you_ ,” (Y/N) says graciously, “ _If I may, Your Highness, this scum wasn’t the easiest to find_ ,” which is a lie, it had been pathetically easy, “ _and we didn’t make any friends on the journey._ ”   
  
“ _What do you ask of me?_ ”   
  
“ _With your permission, my partner and I would like a place to lay low for a while. We would offer our skills to you during that time, as well as five thousand from our reward as compensation_.”   
  
Jabba takes a long drag from his pipe before saying, “ _Ten_.”   
  
“ _Seven and a half_ ,” (Y/N) counters quickly.    
  
“ _Eight_.”   
  
(Y/N) smiles, “ _Pleasure doing business with you, Your Highness_.”   
  
Jabba laughs, “ _I like this one, she has spirit. The rest of you could learn a thing or two_.”   
  
(Y/N) releases her hold on Tipsk and watches apathetically as some of Jabba’s guards drag him away.    


Lando brings a guiding hand to rest on (Y/N)’s back, leading her away from the Hutt, “Well, that worked well.”

(Y/N) barely keeps the scowl off her face, “I’m not looking forward to being at his beck and call for the next several months.” 

“It’ll be worth it,” Lando answers, taking a drink from the passing server. 

(Y/N) bites her tongue. Lando doesn’t understand. He isn’t a slave, he hasn’t had to deal with people like Jabba having power over him all his life. (Y/N) has. She’s been leased out by her Masters to some of the worst people in this galaxy and not been able to do or say anything about it. Lando had been a smuggler, and then the Baron Administrator of Cloud City. He’s always been his own boss.

Lando isn’t a slave, nor has he grown up under the rule of a slaver to her knowledge. He doesn’t get it. Not that (Y/N) believes he is a sympathizer or supporter of slavery. It is simply that he is from a different life, and so he does not know what it is like to be helpless to someone like Jabba. 

For not the first time, (Y/N) wishes Luke was here too. He was not a slave, but he had grown up under the rule of a slaver, so he would better understand where (Y/N) was coming from.

Instead of saying all of this, she only offers, “I suppose you’re right,” in response. 

***

(Y/N) stands at the balcony ledge that juts out from the back of the Pop’ee residence. She gazes at the setting suns, contemplating them in a way foreign to her. For the first time that (Y/N) could remember, she is taking a moment to just breathe. Instead of calculating, she is just taking in the sight. And what a sight it is. Luke hadn’t exaggerated the view.    
  
Luke. (Y/N)’s thoughts switch to him. She wonders how he is and what he’s doing. How he is managing with his new hand and coping with his ordeal with Vader. He is on Tatooine now, but that is all (Y/N) knows. Lando had been the one to make contact, not her. (Y/N) hasn’t spoken to Luke since she left him to come to Tatooine.    
  
(Y/N)’s fingers fidget uncharacteristically. A nasty taste has lingered in the back of her mouth since that day. (Y/N) blames herself for the sequence of events in Cloud City, and how could she not? It was her countless, not countless because she had counted each and every one while wallowing in her self hatred, miscalculations and mistakes that caused it all. Not being fast enough to reach the platform in time to stop Fett. Not trusting Lando to free Leia and Chewie by himself. Not getting to the chamber fast enough to stop Han’s freezing. Not being with them from the start. She would have realized something was wrong on Bespin if she had been there from the start, she would have sensed that something underhanded was going on. 

How foolish she had been to go with Luke to Dagobah. It burned in her stomach. Luke could take care of himself, he had proven it time and again, he would have managed fine on Dagobah without her there. She should have boarded the Falcon on Hoth, she had been just feet from it, and everything on Bespin could have been avoided. (Y/N) had been selfish. Selfish. Something (Y/N) hadn’t believed she was capable of. She had never had the autonomy to be selfish before. But after spending time with Luke, she had developed, or rather discovered, her own self. Her own being. And she had immediately succumbed to it, acting illogically, selfishly. 

Logically, it made sense for (Y/N) to go with Han and Leia instead of Luke. Logically, she would be of more value in their journey than Luke’s. Logically, she would have been aboard the Falcon upon its arrival in Cloud City and logically Han wouldn't be frozen and beyond their reach and Leia wouldn’t be heartbroken. Logically, Luke shouldn’t be suffering.    
  
(Y/N) unlocks her jaw, the muscles had been clenched so tightly her temples are throbbing. Part of her wants to bite down harder, use the pain as a sort of recompense for her misdeeds. She doesn’t though, knowing it would not bring her relief or ease her guilt. Guilt. That was a foreign sensation to (Y/N). She had buried the feeling deep inside herself years ago, turning it into a stranger. But, as it seemed with everything else, her time with Luke had drawn it back out. And now it eats away at her insides. Every moment Han doesn’t breath and lays vulnerable in the clutches of Fett. Every moment Leia anguishes over Han’s fate. Every moment Luke attempts to recover from his fight with Vader without his best friend at his side to ease the way.    
  
(Y/N) pulls her mind from the dark train of thought it is on, focusing on Little (Y/N) below her. The balcony overlooks a clearing where the neighborhood children play. Little (Y/N) runs around with the others, not a care on her innocent face.    
  
‘(Y/N)’. (Y/N)’s lip curls back in disgust. Why Brie and Shaey named the girl that, (Y/N) doesn’t understand. She had been in their lives for just a few hours, most of which the pair spent sleeping, and she had barely spoken to them. And the times she did were either threats or commands. Yet they named their child after her. There was no doubt, no coincidence, no happenstance. And Lando and Chewie knew it too. Any minuscule chance they hadn’t come to that conclusion had been ruined very quickly.    
  
One night, Little (Y/N) had brought out a jacket. Her ‘special jacket’. (Y/N)’s old jacket. She recognized it right away. Simple, grey, zip up, nothing flashy or eye catching, unmemorable, as was all Shadow apparel. But it was definitely hers. It was small, fit to the body of a scrawny twelve year old, but it was identical to the jacket (Y/N) wore now. (Y/N) could even see the faint remnants of stains on the inside from where she had held the newborn to her body during the return to Mos Espa.    
  
Lando’s clever eyes had immediately looked at (Y/N) and the jacket she currently wore, questions in them. There had also been a hint of satisfaction because despite all her attempts to not reveal her past, the Pop’ees had no such qualms. They had regaled Lando and Chewie with the story of the day (Y/N) came for them after Little (Y/N) had gone to bed. To protect her from the horrid details, Shaey explained. Little (Y/N) didn’t know her birth mother was someone other than Shaey, someone who had bled out on a thin mattress in a cell as a slave. They planned on telling Little (Y/N) the truth when she was old enough to handle the burden of it, so Kiya wouldn’t be forgotten and so Little (Y/N) would be smart and avoid such horrors. The small family had expressed so much gratitude for what (Y/N) had done all those years ago that (Y/N) had gone for a walk afterward to work off her irritation and hadn’t returned until dinner time the next day. 

(Y/N) wasn’t sure if Little (Y/N) knew the origin of her name was rooming in her house. The little girl knew the jacket had belonged to ‘the person who saved her life’, but she was still just a child. After warming up to her, Little (Y/N) followed (Y/N) around like, she loathed to use the word ‘shadow’, but it was the best word to describe it. It most likely stemmed from their shared name and the mysteriousness that came with (Y/N), but that didn’t necessarily mean the girl had put two and two together.    
  
(Y/N) hears footsteps approaching, but doesn’t turn. She knows who it is.    
  
“Brie.”   
  
Brie huffs a laugh, coming to stand beside her, “Should have known I wasn’t going to be able to sneak up on you.”   
  
(Y/N) says nothing, eyes remaining on Little (Y/N).    
  
“Something on your mind?” Brie asks after a moment.    
  
(Y/N) glances at the twin suns, who have almost disappeared behind the buildings. Her mind turns over and over, contemplating the question. Her darker thoughts from earlier return.    
  
Brie tucks her hair behind her ear, asking sadly, “Do you really hate us that much?”   
  
(Y/N) releases her jaw, realizing it had clenched shut again, answering honestly, “No.”   
  
“You certainly act like it. I know we...get on your nerves, but we don’t mean anything by it,” Brie waves at Little (Y/N) who is smiling up at them, “But we owe you everything, we can’t not be grateful.”   
  
(Y/N) nods stiffly, “I know.”   
  
Brie sighs and turns to walk away.    
  
“Brie.”   
  
“Yeah?”   
  
“How did you know you loved Shaey?”   
  
Brie returns to her side, pondering the question. She eventually says, “I knew because I couldn’t go on without her.”   
  
“You’d hardly die of a broken heart,” (Y/N) scoffs.    
  
“Yeah, but I didn’t want to. That’s what I mean. I couldn’t see waking up and getting out of bed and eating breakfast, acting like everything was fine, if Shaey wasn’t in my life.”   
  
(Y/N)’s lips purse slightly.    
  
“What?”   
  
“You were willing to stay there,” (Y/N)’s features twist in disgust, “in that hell. You said you’d rather die at the hands of the guards than leave her behind.”   
  
“Yes. That’s what love is sometimes,” Brie chuckles, “Putting the ones you love first, even at the expense of yourself.”   
  
“That’s illogical,” (Y/N) says but her face goes slack, remembering all the times she had done just that. Something that feels as heavy as a boulder drops into the pit of her stomach before Brie even says the words.   
  
“Who said love was logical?”   
  
(Y/N) can practically see the words fly across the space between them to slap her across the face. She looks away from Brie, firmly forward. Except the last traces of sunlight shine in her eyes, reminding her of what she is trying to escape.   
  
“Do you-“   
  
“No.” (Y/N) doesn’t care what Brie is trying to ask, and doesn’t care to find out. Besides, she knows how that sentence was destined to end.    
  
Brie clears her throat, “Lando was talking to me the other day.”   
  
(Y/N) says nothing.    
  
“About why you are here.” That doesn’t surprise (Y/N). The two sides seemed to be determined to drive her to insanity with their incessant need to share information.    
  
“He mentioned someone named Luke-“   
  
“You overstep,” (Y/N) interrupts sharply, venom dripping from her words.    
  
Brie jerks back, but recovers fairly quickly, “Probably, or maybe I stepped just the right amount.”   
  
(Y/N) taps her fingers against her thigh so they don’t rip out Brie’s throat. They tap a steady beat and (Y/N) wills her pulse to match it.    
  
Brie steps back, “Dinner will be ready soon,” and leaves the balcony, knowing she is on paper-thin ice.    
  
(Y/N) looks down at Little (Y/N), fingers tapping away. 

***

“You’re sure he is coming?”   
  
(Y/N)’s eyes flicker over to Lando, “Yes.”   
  
Lando adjusts his mask, tusks high enough to almost cover his eyes.    
  
“You worry too much,” (Y/N) says, barely even a whisper. Max’s music fills the room, but she is always careful, “Fett won’t even look in our direction. He is short-sighted, his only focus will be his reward.”   
  
She nods in greeting to Bib as he walks past them to speak with Jabba. In the past months, (Y/N) and Lando have endeared themselves to the residents of Jabba’s palace. The pair had stepped into several escalating situations, bringing them to a stop before anyone got hurt. The backup singers of Max’s band, Greeata, Lyn, and Rystáll, adored (Y/N) because she had broken several bones of a man who hadn’t taken ‘no’ for an answer. Their favorite thing to do between performances, besides flirting with the men, was trying to convince her to become their official bodyguard. Lando had quickly gained the favor of Jabba, to the point that he was a consistent skiff rider when everyone journeyed to the Sarlacc.    
  
“You say that like you know him,” Lando comments.    
  
“I don’t, but I know his type. All bounty hunters are like that.”   
  
“Aren’t you a bounty hunter?”   
  
(Y/N)’s eyes snap over to Lando. She can see he’s teasing her, but she doesn’t like it.    
  
“I kid, Xan’a, you need to loosen up.”   
  
(Y/N)’s jaw ticks, “You’re infuriatingly exhausting to be around, Tamtel.”   
  
“Thank you, it’s one of my better qualities,” Lando says smugly.    
  
“You say that as if you have multiple good qualities,” (Y/N) smirks.    
  
Lando laughs and accepts the drinks one of Jabba’s servers gives him, “Thank you, lovely.”   
  
He takes a sip before offering to her, “You should live a little and try some.”

“No,” (Y/N) replies flatly, she has no interest in drinking alcohol. 

“You’re really missing out.”   
  
(Y/N) rolls her eyes, “I doubt it. Look alive.”   
  
Lando looks to where Boba Fett is entering the throne room. Behind him, one of Jabba’s Gamorrean guards pushes a grey slab. (Y/N)’s hand clenches into a fist so she doesn’t grab her blaster and finish this now. Luke didn’t want things to go that way, otherwise he would have sent her after Fett directly. He has a larger plan than ‘kill everyone’, and it is one (Y/N) would respect. But the outline of Han’s tortured face makes it hard.    
  
And Jabba’s loud, obnoxious laughter is particularly difficult to not act on.    
  
Patience. Patience is what (Y/N) needs. The day would come, soon now that Han was here, when the spineless slug wouldn’t be laughing. The thought soothes (Y/N)’s temper and she leans back against the wall.    
  
Lando glances at her and winks.


	14. Chapter 14

(Y/N) slows her speeder to a stop outside the small, lone house. As she is climbing off, the door opens and Luke steps out.  
  
She tucks her helmet and goggles into the back compartment of the speeder and walks over to greet Luke. (Y/N) looks him up and down as she approaches. He wears all black now, and something about him is different.  
  
“Hey, (Y/N),” he smiles at her brightly.  
  
“Luke,” (Y/N) offers a strained smile in response.  
  
He notices, frowning, “Are you okay?”  
  
“Yes,” (Y/N) waits until she’s breezed past him to roll her eyes, “Are you well?”  
  
Luke follows her into the house, “Yeah.”  
  
“Your hand?”  
  
“I’ve gotten used to it.”  
  
(Y/N) sits stiffly in a chair, “Good. Fett has arrived at Jabba’s with Han.”  
  
Luke hands her a glass of water before sitting in the seat across from her, “That’s good, we’ll have him back soon.”  
  
“And I take it you have something bigger planned than just going in and killing everyone?” (Y/N) asks tiredly.  
  
The side of Luke’s mouth ticks up, “You know me.”  
  
(Y/N) raises her glass in mock salute before taking a sip.  
  
“How have you been managing?”  
  
She shifts in her seat, “We’ve been staying with people from my past. Good people. Lando and I have gained the trust of Jabba and his minions.”

“How is Lando?”

“Fine. He’ll be here later, ask him yourself.”

“No, like how has he been?”

She doesn’t understand the line of questioning. Luke has no reason to question Lando. He’s onboard, he’s working with them. He won’t betray them. The time for worrying about that came and went when they were preparing to leave for Tatooine a year ago, and at the time there hadn’t been any doubt that Lando was with them. Why was Luke worried now?

Or is he worried Lando has impeded her efforts? Luke understands how (Y/N) works and how efficiently she wants to operate. Lando is a civilian, Luke might be worried there’s been friction between them. And Lando is Han’s friend, Luke would want to be sure he was being treated right. 

(Y/N) finally says, words carefully chosen, “He isn’t a moron. There’s been no issue. We are prepared for whatever you have in store for the rescue mission.”

Luke looks frustrated as he shakes his head dismissively, “That’s not what I meant.”

(Y/N)’s jaw clenches and waits to see if he’ll elaborate. If she’s so unsatisfactory to him, why not just wait until Lando is here to ask how he’s ‘doing’?

When Luke remains silent, (Y/N) decides to move on, “You made a new saber.”

He glances down at his hip as if he forgot it was there, “Oh, yeah.”  
  
Luke offers it to her and (Y/N) takes it. She weighs the lightsaber in her palm. It’s well balanced and sturdy looking. (Y/N) triggers the blade and is surprised to see it is green. She hadn’t expected it to be red, of course, but she hadn’t known there was something other than blue. (Y/N) hands it back with a nod of approval. Luke seems pleased as he places it back on his belt.  
  
(Y/N) glances around the house, “This isn’t yours.”  
  
“No,” Luke answers, “It was Ben’s.”  
  
“Ah.” (Y/N) looks at the room with a different mindset.  
  
“You don’t seem impressed.”  
  
(Y/N)’s eyebrow ticks up, “Not with Ben, with Tatooine in general.”  
  
“What?” Luke laughs lightly, “Not to your liking?”  
  
(Y/N) reminds herself this was Luke’s home for nineteen years, “No, it is,” she thinks pulling out a tooth would be easier, “quaint.”  
  
Luke snorts, “You don’t really think that.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do, (Y/N). I know you,” Luke doesn’t seem offended, just smiles at her fondly. (Y/N) offers no further protest, knowing that even if this was his home planet and he had a sense of nostalgia for it, Luke didn’t like Tatooine much either, so he wouldn’t take too much offense to her distaste for it. 

“Luke,” (Y/N) says carefully, keeping her hands below the table where she can hide their fidgeting, “I wanted to apologize.”  
  
Luke’s blue eyes widen in shock. And (Y/N) didn’t blame him. She had never apologized to or even in front of him before. She didn’t apologize. She’d never felt the desire to.  
  
“...Why?” Luke eventually asks, disbelief and confusion in his voice.  
  
“Han never should have left Bespin with Fett.”  
  
“(Y/N)...” Luke shakes his head, “That wasn’t your fault.”  
  
“Yes, it was,” (Y/N) argues sharply, “I told you I would save your friends, and I didn’t. I’m sorry.”  
  
Luke leans forward, arms on the table, “No one blames you for that.”  
  
“Well you should,” (Y/N) says bitterly.  
  
“(Y/N)-”  
  
“Luke,” she cuts him off, leaning on the table as well, “On my watch, Han was frozen in carbonite and taken by a bounty hunter destined to bring him to a Hutt who wants him dead. On my watch, Leia and Chewbacca suffered and continue to suffer heartbreak. On my watch, you lost your hand and almost died at the hands of Darth Vader-“  
  
“(Y/N), come on!” Luke cuts her off, tone colored with exasperation, “You had nothing to do with what happened to me. And it wasn’t your fault that Han was frozen, we’d only just gotten to the city when it happened.”  
  
“It doesn’t matter,” (Y/N) grinds out through a clenched jaw.  
  
“Yes, it does,” Luke exclaims, “My god, (Y/N)-”  
  
“Damn it, Luke!” (Y/N) slams her fist on the table, “You don’t have to treat me like I’m some delicate flower. I’m a fighter, a killer, in case you've forgotten. I can take a punch!”  
  
“I know that.”

“Then act like it,” she snaps. 

“I am!” Luke snaps back, “But I don’t see why-”

(Y/N) stands, knocking her chair to the ground with the abrupt movement, snarling, “You are, without a doubt, the most irritating person I have ever encountered. This could have been over with by now if you had just shut up and accepted my damn apology, you stubborn ass.”  
  
(Y/N) storms out of the house without another word. She marches away from the house, coming to a stop a distance away. She crosses her arms, but quickly uncrosses them, lamenting her childish behavior.  
  
She stews silently, jaw working back and forth. Her gaze lingers on the setting suns, as there is nothing else to look at. (Y/N)’s nose wrinkles, she couldn’t wait to leave this desolate planet and everything that had happened here behind.  
  
(Y/N) mulls over the argument, she and Luke just had. They’d never really had one before, not a real one anyway. It was strange, for Luke to fight her, he normally agreed with her evaluation of a situation. Not that she steamrolled him, Luke and her just always seemed to be on the same page about things. Early in their time together, (Y/N) had just reached the conclusions faster and took the time to be sure he got there too. But more recently, they would reach it at virtually the same time, with just a wordless look to confirm their agreement. Luke’s quickened critical thinking skills were, in (Y/N)’s opinion, a direct impact of their time spent together and (Y/N) was pleased by that thought. 

But now he fought her on this, and so tenaciously. So determined he was right.  
  
(Y/N) did admit she had pushed more blame onto herself that necessary just now. She had no part in the fight and fallout of Luke versus Vader, if anything her aid and comfort on the Falcon had improved the situation. Leia, Chewie, and 3PO had escaped Bespin with no harm falling upon them under her watch. Han being frozen, (Y/N) had known in the moment it happened that there was nothing she could do. She just needed to remember that now. Her decision to save Leia and Chewie first had been the right one, something she had also known in the moment. Han being taken by Fett had been unfortunate but the alternative was unthinkable. And she was on Tatooine, slumming in Jabba’s palace and dancing to his tune, in order to recover Han. 

And wasn’t that the most important part of an apology? Correcting the mistake? Luke said he didn’t even consider it a mistake, and (Y/N) believed he meant that. He’d never lied to her before, why would he lie now? And Chewie and Lando didn’t treat her like they blamed her either. 

And mistake or not, (Y/N) was doing all in her power to save Han.  
  
(Y/N) breathes out deeply, feeling the tension leave her body. She rolls her shoulders and releases her white-knuckled fists. She can feel small crescent pricks of pain in her palms where her nails had been digging in and her fingers throb as blood begins to flow through them again.  
  
She looks over her shoulder at the quiet sound of footsteps.  
  
Luke approaches her slowly. (Y/N)’s eyes trace over him, watching the way the magentas and oranges of the setting suns paint his skin. (Y/N) wonders if this is how he looked on his family farm years ago when he had thought he’d never leave this planet. Before destiny was thrust upon him. He wears black now, but (Y/N) imagines he wore lighter colors back then. White and beige homespun, like the people of Mos Espa do. Like what she wears now. Her disguise, Xan’a’s outfit with bolder colors and style, is only worn at Jabba’s palace. Her day to day clothing is, as always, designed to blend in, and thus matched the typical Tatooine resident apparel.  
  
His hair would have been lighter too, (Y/N) remembers it’s softer coloration when they first met. Back when his colors bled and his halo was golden. But even now with his darker hair and clothing, and face aged by what he’s been though, he is still a striking image.  
  
Luke stops just feet from her, taking in her appearance. He can see she’s calmed down just from her body language.  
  
“(Y/N)-”  
  
“It’s fine, Luke.”  
  
“No,” he steps closer, “it’s not. You can’t do that to yourself, you can’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. And I don’t say that because I think you couldn’t manage it, you’re the strongest person I know. I say it because you have no business carrying it.”  
  
“Luke-”  
  
“I’m not done,” Luke interrupts her. (Y/N) is silent more from surprise than anything else as Luke continues, “What happened on Bespin was beyond anyone’s control. You did everything you could, getting Lando onboard, saving Leia and Chewie. Yeah, Han was taken, but less than a year later, he’s within our reach. We’ll have him back soon, and I guarantee you Han won’t blame you anymore than the rest of us do.”  
  
“I know,” (Y/N) says tiredly, “I just...”  
  
“Don’t apologize again,” Luke interjects, “There’s nothing to be sorry about.”  
  
(Y/N) nods, feeling lighter than she has in months. She clasps her hands at the small of her back to hide the trembling. When and why it had gone from fidgeting to actual trembling, (Y/N) didn’t know.  
  
She faces the suns again and Luke closes the distance between them. He stands by her side, close enough that his shoulder brushed hers as he breathes, and looks at the colorful sky as well.  
  
They don’t speak again until the darkness of the rapidly approaching night begins to overpower the shrinking light.  
  
“Darth Vader is my father.”

Luke’s words hang there in the air between them.  
  
(Y/N) blinks. And blinks again. She attempts to process that revelation quickly, as well as the fact that Luke trusts her enough to share it.  
  
“How do you know?” Is what she finally manages.  
  
“He told me.”  
  
(Y/N)’s eyebrows raise, “And you trust his word?”  
  
“I sensed it,” Luke grimaces, “That sounded weird...it’s difficult to explain.”  
  
(Y/N) shakes her head, “No, I understand...Okay,” she says calmly, compartmentalizing, “What are you going to do about it?”  
  
(Y/N) can see Luke turn his head to look at her out of the corner of her eye, “Just like that? You’re okay with it?”  
  
“Just like that.”  
  
“How?” Luke speaks in a hushed tone, as if they weren’t just two people standing alone in the empty desert, as if there were others listening, “After all he’s done...”  
  
“Why should that change how I view you?” (Y/N) looks at Luke. His face is open and vulnerable, hanging onto her words like (Y/N) held his very life in her hands. Her eyes trace the lines of Luke’s face carefully before meeting his blue eyes, “Are you your father?”  
  
“No,” Luke says resolutely.  
  
“So what does it matter what he’s done?”

“I,” Luke’s voice wavers, “...I could have that same darkness in me.”  
  
“Maybe you do,” (Y/N) gives a carefree shrug, “Who cares? Everyone has darkness inside them, right? The point is fighting it. You’ve faced him once before and didn’t succumb.”  
  
Luke looks down, brow furrowed.  
  
“And you didn’t answer my question.”  
  
He hums in question.  
  
“What are you going to do about it?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Luke shakes his head, “I don’t think I can kill him.”  
  
“Alright,” (Y/N) nods even if he can’t see it.  
  
“I know he’s done horrible things. To Leia and Han and me. And countless other people...but I don’t think I can.”  
  
“Why do you think that’s the only option?”  
  
Luke looks up at her, “You don’t?”  
  
(Y/N)‘s mouth quirks, “We aren’t talking about me, he’s not my father,” she looks at him critically, “Is it because Ben and Yoda say so?”  
  
Luke gets a guilty look on his face.  
  
“Who says they’re right?”  
  
He huffs, “They do know him better than me.”  
  
“Yeah,” (Y/N) huffs herself, “He also became Vader under their watch, so there’s that.”  
  
“So you think I shouldn’t kill him?”  
  
“It’s not up to me, Luke,” (Y/N) looks him in the eyes, “You have to do what you feel is right. Whether that’s killing Vader or not.”  
  
Luke is silent again as he ponders the situation. (Y/N) looks back to the setting suns to give him a moment. She is patient, always has been when it comes to Luke. He will have an answer eventually.  
  
“I don’t think I can,” Luke finally says, “He’s my father.”  
  
“Then don’t,” (Y/N) will support Luke no matter what he decides, “but you need to figure out another solution because the galaxy is only so large and you will face him again.”  
  
Luke nods, “I know.”  
  
(Y/N) is hit with a swell of pride. Luke had come so far from where he was when they first met. He had matured and improved as a person. And through all of it, all the losses he suffered and burdens he carried, he never lost his positivity and resolve. Luke hadn’t been hardened by his experiences, he’d remained hopeful and open-hearted. He was incredible.  
  
“That should be them,” Luke’s voice pulls her from her thoughts.  
  
(Y/N) follows his gaze to the Falcon approaching Ben’s house.  
  
“Well we shouldn’t keep them waiting,” she offers and they start to walk towards the house.

***

It was time. Everyone was on Tatooine. Leia had her disguise, courtesy of (Y/N) killing a bounty hunter in Mos Eisley. The plan was set. Within the week, Han would be freed and they’d finally be off this planet.  
  
Lando kisses Brie and Shaey each on the hand, making them giggle juvenilely.

“Thank you.”  
  
“Of course,” Shaey says.  
  
“It’s the least we could do,” Brie adds, glancing at (Y/N).  
  
Lando shakes Malo’s hand and pats Little (Y/N) on the head while Chewie howls. The Pop’ees still don’t know what he’s saying, but know enough to understand it’s friendly. Little (Y/N) offers the Wookiee a huge smile in response.  
  
Lando brushes past (Y/N), offering quietly, “We’ll be outside.”  
  
(Y/N) nods once before returning her attention to the Pop’ees. She steps closer to them and holds out an envelope.  
  
Shaey takes it carefully like it’s an explosive and opens it. She gasps at the wad of money within it. Shaey and Brie exchange a glance before Shaey shakes her head, holding the envelope back out to (Y/N), “We can’t take this.”  
  
“You can and you will,” (Y/N) says bluntly, eager to leave the room before they get too emotional. Again.  
  
“We told you our home was always open,” Brie insists.  
  
“It’s not for that,” (Y/N) explains, “Rekungah took money he wasn’t owed, so I am returning it.”  
  
(Y/N) remembers heading to her ship all those years ago, only to be stopped by the slippery Dug. She remembers how he had cackled at the Pop’ees’ stupidity for paying so much. He’d ended up pocketing even more than the League did. (Y/N) had relished in killing him for that.  
  
Malo scowls, “I’m going to...” he trails off when Little (Y/N) looks up at him.  
  
“Don’t worry about him,” (Y/N) says with a weighted tone. Malo’s face is comical as he realizes what she’s implying. He nods at her in thanks.  
  
Brie speaks again, “You should take it then, for everything you’ve done.”  
  
“I was already compensated for my services,” (Y/N) replies.  
  
“You mean the League was,” Shaey argues.  
  
“I am an extension of the League,” (Y/N) answers flatly, repeating what was drilled into her as a child, “My actions are theirs, so it is their money.”  
  
“Were.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“You were an extension,” Brie says, “You’ve changed, you know? You’re more now.”  
  
“Has anyone ever told you that you speak too much for your own good?” (Y/N) asks sharply.  
  
“Yes,” Brie answers smugly, “Shaey tells me just about every day.”  
  
(Y/N) fights the eyeroll, wanting them to know she is genuine when she says, “Thank you for opening your home to us.”  
  
“For you?” Malo smiles warmly, “Always.”  
  
Little (Y/N) tugs at (Y/N)’s hand.  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“I have something for you,” Little (Y/N) beckons her down.  
  
(Y/N) swallows her sigh and kneels down. Little (Y/N) jumps her unexpectedly and hugs her, tiny arms wrapping around (Y/N)’s neck. (Y/N)’s muscles tense and her head turns away. She wants to pull away entirely, but doesn’t. She can feel the eyes of Brie, Shaey, and Malo on her, watching closely.  
  
“I’ll miss you, (Y/N),” Little (Y/N) says, small hand lightly clutching at (Y/N)’s hair.  
  
(Y/N) grimaces and awkwardly pats the little girl’s back. Little (Y/N) steps away from her, smiling broadly.  
  
She looks closely at the girl. This happy, friendly, trusting, adorable little girl exists from her direct action. If (Y/N) had left the slaver’s facility with just Brie, Little (Y/N) would have died along with Kiya or been raised as a slave, which was no life. 

(Y/N) had lived the first eighteen years of her life in a monotonous nothing. Thinking nothing, feeling nothing. (Y/N) had started to not recognize herself the longer she was with Luke and the others, thinking they had changed her. That their humanity had changed her, made her human too. 

But if (Y/N) had saved Little (Y/N) years before Luke was made her mission, she must have had a hidden scrap of humanity within herself the whole time.  
  
(Y/N) pulls a knife from her belt, ignoring Shaey’s sharp intake of breath.  
  
“This knife has saved my life many times in the past,” she flips it so the handle is towards Little (Y/N), “It is yours now. Let your mothers hold onto now, but when you’re older, use it to protect yourself.“  
  
Little (Y/N)’s eyes widen and she nods as she carefully takes the knife. (Y/N) smiles at her briefly, “You still have much to see, (Y/N), and I wish you well. All of you,” (Y/N) glances up at the others. A tear runs down Shaey’s face as she leans into Brie’s comforting embrace.  
  
(Y/N) stands and leaves without another word.

***

“And then I slit his throat.”  
  
(Y/N) fakes a convincing laugh as Fett finishes his story. The man had seemingly made it his mission to befriend her. Why, (Y/N) isn’t sure. She didn’t have a warm, welcoming personality. Fett is a charming guy, it was evident in how Greeata, Lyn, and Rystáll swooned over him. But to (Y/N), who despised him for his role on Bespin, Fett is incessantly obnoxious. Like a fly trapped in a room or Jabba’s wind chimes that were constantly being hit by drunk guests.  
  
(Y/N) glances over at Leia. She feels a pang of sympathy for the predicament the other woman found herself in: chained at the...whatever Jabba’s version of feet would be, dressed in a ridiculous outfit, and essentially sidelined from the rescue mission. It had been unfortunate that their first plan, Leia stealthily freeing Han and escaping, hadn’t worked. However, their backup plan was admittedly more along the lines of what (Y/N) was used to, and what she believed Jabba deserved, so she wasn’t too distraught over it. The one issue was this backup plan put Luke in danger, but (Y/N) knew he wouldn’t have agreed to stay out of it forever. This was his best friend they were talking about. 

“She’s a crafty one,” Fett offers.  
  
“The Princess?” (Y/N) asks innocently as if her thoughts hadn’t just been centered on Leia. She did agree with Fett’s assessment, Leia had proven more times than (Y/N) could remember how intelligent she is. She is like (Y/N) in that aspect, except she often falls victim to her emotions. 

“Can’t really be a Princess when you don’t have a planet,” Fett scoffs, “Last I saw her, she was in Darth Vader’s clutches. She managed to escape and make her way here.”  
  
“An impressive feat,” (Y/N) says offhandedly, “if it hadn’t ended like this. I wonder if she wishes she was still in the frying pan.”  
  
“Clever.”  
  
Lando catches (Y/N)’s eye and raises his glass in cheers. (Y/N) has no drink, so she raises her empty hand in sloppy reciprocation. That was the signal. Luke is here.  
  
“What’s this?” Fett asks curiously.  
  
(Y/N) follows his gaze to the doorway that Bib is scurrying towards. She shrugs, “I’m sure we’ll know in a moment.”  
  
Bib and a cloaked figure, Luke, walk back into the throne room. (Y/N) forces down the smile that pulls at her lips.  
  
“At last,” 3PO exclaims, “Master Luke’s come to rescue me!”  
  
Bib climbs up to Jabba’s side, tapping lightly, “Master?” and then harder, “Master!”  
  
Jabba groans angrily as he wakes. Bib introduces Luke. Though his face is hidden by the hood of his robe, (Y/N) can feel Luke glance at her briefly.  
  
 _“I told you not to admit him,_ ” Jabba grumbles.  
  
“I must be allowed to speak,” Luke says the words like they carry a secret weight and as Bib repeats them, (Y/N) understands why.  
  
Jabba grabs Bib and pulls him close, “ _You weak-minded fool! He’s using an old Jedi mind trick_ ,” and shoves Bib from the platform.  
  
Luke steps forward, removing his hood, “You will bring Captain Solo and the Wookiee to me.”  
  
Jabba laughs deeply, “ _Your mind tricks don’t work on me, boy.”_  
  
“Nevertheless,” Luke steps closer, “I’m taking Captain Solo and his friends. You can either profit from this...or be destroyed. It’s your choice, but I warn you not to underestimate my powers.”  
  
Jabba laughs even louder. 3PO speaks up, saying frantically, “Master Luke, you’re standing on-”  
  
(Y/N) glances away from Luke’s face to his feet, seeing he now stands on the trap door.  
  
Jabba cuts 3PO off, “ _There will be no bargain, young Jedi. I shall enjoy watching you die._ ” He starts to laugh again.  
  
Luke jerks his hand out, calling a blaster from some bystander to him. A bewildered Gamorrean guard steps forward and grabs at Luke.  
  
Jabba shouts in shock and slams his fist down onto the dreaded button. The floor gives out below Luke and he falls down into the pit along with the guard.  
  
(Y/N) feels her heart stop. This is not part of the plan. Luke didn’t have his lightsaber. Or any weapon for that matter. Her feet are moving as her brain is still catching up. She scurries down the steps, the roars of the Rancor striking fear deep within. (Y/N) hurries to the door where the Rancor’s keepers stand watch. The door on the other side of the grate slides up, revealing Luke. His frantic eyes meet hers as he yanks at the grate. (Y/N) removes her blaster, ready to shoot the door open or fire at the Rancor she isn’t sure which, as Luke bends down to grab something from the floor. He straightens and throws it, but not at the Rancor. The object hits a small, almost undetectable, panel on the wall. The large overhead door slams down, puncturing the Rancor’s head. The beast roars as it falls to the ground and whimpers pitifully before falling still.  
  
(Y/N) casually replaces her blaster as the keepers open the gate. She ignores the keepers and Jabba’s angry yells from above them in favor of grabbing Luke. Her hand is on his arm, mocking the grip of an angered guard, but her face tells a different story. She knows the relief is blatant in her features as she asks, “Are you okay?”  
  
“Yeah,” Luke replies breathlessly.  
  
Footsteps approaching them makes (Y/N)’s relief slide off her face like water.  
  
“Come,” (Y/N) spits, “You will suffer for this.”  
  
Lando grabs Luke's other arm and they yank him back to the throne room.  
  
“Han!” Luke calls out to their temporarily blind friend as he too is dragged into the room.  
  
“Luke!”  
  
“Are you alright?” Luke asks.  
  
“Fine,” Han huffs, “Together again, huh?”  
  
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Luke says sarcastically  
  
“How we doing?”  
  
“The same as always.”  
  
“That bad, huh?” Han says gruffly, “Where’s Leia?”  
  
“I’m here,” Leia calls from Jabba’s side.  
  
Jabba barks at 3PO to translate what he says.  
  
“Oh, dear,” 3PO says anxiously, “His High Exaltedness, the great Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately.”  
  
“Good,” Han says aloofly, “I hate long waits.”  
  
(Y/N) sends Han a look that, obviously, goes unseen.  
  
“You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea and cast into the pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc.”  
  
Luke’s bicep jumps under (Y/N)’s hand as he reacts to the words. Luke is from Tatooine after all, he’d probably grown up hearing stories of the horrors Jabba put his victims through. (Y/N) squeezes the muscle softly, and Luke glances at her briefly. She can see him recenter himself, refocus on the mission. They had planned for such situations.  
  
“Doesn’t sound so bad,” Han says out of the corner of his mouth.  
  
3PO continues, “In his belly, you will find a new definition of pain and suffering, as you are slowly digested over a thousand years.”  
  
“On second thought, let’s pass on that, huh?”  
  
Chewie howls in agreement.  
  
“You should have bargained, Jabba,” Luke says and (Y/N), Lando, and the others lead him, Han, and Chewie away, “That’s the last mistake you’ll ever make.”  
  
Jabba’s laugh follows them as they exit the room.

***

The skiff (Y/N) stands on flies around the other, which hovers ominously above the pit.  
  
“Victims of the almighty Sarlacc,” 3PO’s voice rings out over the speakers, “His Excellency hopes that you will die honorably. But should any of you wish to beg for mercy, the great Jabba the Hutt will now listen to your pleas.”  
  
“3PO!” Han immediately shouts back in reply, “You tell that slimy piece of...worm-ridden filth he’ll get no such pleasure from us. Right?”  
  
Chewie barks his own reply. It’s short but gets the point across very well. (Y/N) smirks in silent amusement.  
  
“Jabba!” Luke calls from the plank, “This is your last chance. Free us or die.”  
  
“ _Move him into position_ ,” Jabba orders after his laughter dies out.  
  
The skiff she stands on flies closer to the pit. (Y/N)’s hair blows behind her in the wind but the rest of her is motionless, muscles invisibly tightening as the quiet tension only she, Luke, Lando, and Chewie are privy to grows. She watches closely as a guard forces Luke to the end of the plank. Luke looks down at the Sarlacc before nodding at Lando, who returns the favor. He glances at R2 who, while (Y/N) can’t actually see the small droid, stands atop the sail barge. As her skiff comes to a stop, Luke spares her a quick glance. He then salutes R2 and Jabba orders, “ _Put him in_.”  
  
The guard pokes at Luke with his staff, and Luke jumps, turning as he falls to grab the plank. He pushes himself up into the air and flips back onto the skiff. He calls the lightsaber R2 shot from the barge to his hand, activates it, and immediately starts attacking guards.  
  
(Y/N) reaches for her blaster but the man in front of her beats her to the punch, turning around with a blaster already aimed at her, “ _Don’t try it_.”  
  
(Y/N)’s hand freezes just inches from her blaster.  
  
 _“Hands_ _up_.”  
  
(Y/N) moves her hands slowly towards her head as the others snarl at Luke, “ _Jedi scum!_ ”  
  
The Skrilling piloting the skiff moves to a better position and the others, unaware of the interaction between (Y/N) and the man, start firing at Luke.  
  
“ _You put on a flawless act, Xan’a_ ,” the man sneers, “ _but I saw the way that Jedi looked at you.”_  
  
(Y/N)’s hands slide unnoticeably down the back of her head.  
  
“ _And now I see you’re nothing but that Jedi’s bitch-_ “  
  
“ _Look_ _out!_ ” The Skrilling behind them calls out. But it’s too late, as (Y/N)’s hand has already wrapped around the handle of the knife that had been hidden in a secret sleeve of her shirt. She swings it around, striking the blaster. It fires, clipping her thigh as the man yells out in shock and anger.  
  
He spits at her, “ _You_ -“  
  
In a flash, (Y/N) flips the knife in her hand and brings it back across her body. It imbeds in the man’s cheek. He spits a mouthful of blood on her face as he screams. (Y/N) grabs his blaster and lifts it over her shoulder to shoot the skiff pilot. (Y/N) then shoots the man on the end of her knife and pushes him off the skiff. She kicks another man off, watching him tumble down into the pit with an embarrassing scream.  
  
At some point Luke had made his way to this skiff and had taken out the rest of the guards. They make brief eye contact across the skiff and Luke’s flair in concern at her bloody state. A blast that strikes the space between them draws (Y/N)’s attention to the deck of the barge. She swiftly fires at the person manning the large blaster and they drop to the floor.  
  
“Are you alright?” Luke asks, stepping closer to her.  
  
“Yeah,” (Y/N) replies flippantly, “it’s not mine.”  
  
Another shot comes from the sail barge, this time at the other skiff. The already dramatically listing skiff tilts to the side even more, bringing Lando closer to the opening of the pit below and knocking Han off the side.  
  
“I’ll get them,” (Y/N) jerks her head towards the other skiff at the same time Luke gestures to the barge, “I’ll handle that and get Leia.”  
  
Luke brushes past her to jump onto the side of the sail barge. She watches his ascent for a moment to make sure he makes it to the deck. Once he’s swinging his lightsaber at anything near his person, (Y/N) returns her attention to the others.  
  
She pilots the skiff across the pit to pull up alongside the other. (Y/N) climbs in and looks over the edge to see Han aiming at the tentacle that has wrapped itself around Lando.  
  
“Higher, Han,” (Y/N) orders as Lando shouts the same. Han complies and fires once. It strikes the tentacle and it immediately releases Lando, retreating as the Sarlacc shrieks in pain. 

Lando gets a better hold of the staff Han’s holding out to him and slowly pulls himself up higher.  
  
“Hold onto Han, Chewie,” (Y/N) orders.  
  
She crouches down and holds her hand out to Lando. He grabs it and (Y/N)’s muscles flex as she starts to lift him. Lando’s eyes flair as she takes his weight easily. His other hand leaves the staff and grabs her other one. (Y/N)’s legs slowly straighten as she lifts him higher. Lando’s legs scramble over the side of the skiff and (Y/N) releases him.  
  
Chewie and Lando help Han back onto the listing skiff. (Y/N) returns to the stable one and grabs Han’s hand. He jumps slightly, as he hadn’t seen the touch coming, asking tentatively, “(Y/N)?”  
  
“Nice to see you, Han,” (Y/N) says dryly, “Step high.”  
  
Han lifts his leg far higher than needed, but (Y/N) doesn’t say anything. He steps towards her voice and his foot finds steady ground. His other quickly follows and then Lando and Chewie climb aboard.  
  
(Y/N) looks towards the deck of the sail barge, eyes scanning for Luke and Leia. She watches the pair come together at a hanging rope and Luke kicks something. The immediate blast and subsequent series of explosions says he fired a blaster into the engine room. Han jerks back at the explosion and (Y/N)’s hand flies up to hover protectively behind his back, making sure he doesn’t lose his footing and fall.  
  
Luke and Leia swing across, landing gracefully on the skiff.  
  
“Let’s go,” Luke says to Lando, “and don’t forget the droids.”  
  
“We’re on our way!” Lando exclaims as they fly away from the pit.  
  
After a quick stop to pull R2 and 3PO from the sand, they are blasting away from the huge explosion.

***

Luke’s hand on her arm makes (Y/N) look over in question.  
  
He jerks his head to an open doorway, silently urging her. (Y/N) rolls her eyes but follows, leaving the room where Leia and Han stand waiting for Lando, Chewie, and droids to return with the ships.  
  
“What?” (Y/N) asks once they enter the other room.  
  
“Get that off,” Luke orders. 

“Excuse me?” (Y/N) asks incredulously.  
  
“The cape,” Luke turns, holding a medkit he pulled from somewhere, and points at (Y/N)’s leg that peaks out from the fabric. (Y/N) glances down and winces at the red streaks of her blood that are visible.  
  
“That’s not mine,” (Y/N) says, casually twitching her wrist so her leg disappears from sight, “It was a man on the skiff.”  
  
Luke raises an unimpressed eyebrow in a shockingly similar way to herself.

“It’s just a graze.”  
  
“What I said before still applies,” Luke says, “I’ll help if you let me.”  
  
(Y/N)’s nostrils flare, remembering the ordeal on Hoth, “Fine,” and stomps her foot up onto a step so the cape falls away, exposing the decent sized, yet very shallow blast mark.  
  
Luke smiles softly at her, with an underlying triumphant smugness. (Y/N) tries to yank her leg away at that, but Luke’s a second faster and snatches her ankle to keep her in place. (Y/N) glares at him, letting him know she isn’t impressed.  
  
He pulls out a wipe and starts cleaning her skin. His other hand moves up to rest gently on her thigh, and to (Y/N) it burns white hot despite being made of cold metal, steadying both of them. (Y/N) reaches down to touch the burnt synthetic flesh and exposed robotics. Luke’s hand jerks back slightly but stays on her leg.  
  
“I got shot. I’m fine, nothing broken.” Luke says assuringly.  
  
(Y/N)’s hand falls away to rest by her side as she looks around the room. She instinctively searches the dark areas of the room, anticipating a foe. She’s wounded and exposed in an unsafe place. Her paranoia kicks into a higher gear than it was already at and her jaw clenches.  
  
The tension in her body is undetectable from afar, but Luke is right next to her. His hand that holds the wipe bumps against the back of her hand, against the tight tendons and knuckles that are ready to jump to her holster. He knows her well enough to know the tensed muscle of her leg that his hand rests on is not from pain. (Y/N) glances down at Luke, but luckily he’s too focused on cleaning the wound to see how fond her gaze probably is. She wills her muscles to release their tension, the only ones still here are the two of them, the others in the adjacent room, and prisoners securely locked away.  
  
She focuses on Luke, watching his careful and meticulous work. He had been an impressive force in the fight above the Sarlacc, essentially killing the whole horde of guards by himself. 

“Are you leaving for Dagobah?”  
  
Luke hums, “I have to see Yoda again.”  
  
(Y/N) nods even though he can’t see, “I understand. The others and I will be waiting for you at the fleet.”  
  
“Think I can handle myself alone this time?” Luke asks lightly, referencing (Y/N)’s tease for why she accompanied him the first time he sought out Yoda.  
  
“Yes.” (Y/N) doesn’t raise to the bait, choosing instead to compliment Luke. She can’t see Luke’s face, so (Y/N) doesn’t know what his reaction to her response is.  
  
Luke’s thumb brushes over her now clean blast wound and (Y/N) uses all her willpower to stop the muscle under Luke’s other hand from jumping at the tender touch.  
  
“Looks good,” Luke says, “Probably won’t even scar.”  
  
He glances up at (Y/N), meeting her steady green eyes with his blue as his thumb repeats the motion. Luke blinks, pulls his hands away, and stands.  
  
“Thank you,” (Y/N) says it easily, it’s never taken effort to thank Luke.  
  
They walk back to join the others, seeing Leia has changed into normal clothing in their absence.  
  
“Back to the fleet?” Leia asks in a way that says she already knows the answer.  
  
Luke shakes his head, “I have unfinished business, but I’ll be there soon.”  
  
“Alright,” Leia says, content with Luke’s assurance of a speedy return, “As long as you’re there for the meeting.”  
  
The group departs from the empty palace and makes their way back to the ships.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sure there were many of you looking forward to (Y/N) opening a can of whoop ass on Jabba and his goons this chapter...However, I thought this would be a good opportunity to show (Y/N)’s character development in that 1) she’s okay with Luke being the one to do all the killing while she stays back and doesn’t get involved in a bloodbath and 2) she genuinely prioritizes the well-being of Lando, Han, and Chewie over anything else. Her immediate response to the developing situation is “help the others” not “murder time, naughty slaver children” and that’s Growth 😤👏.
> 
> But you can have a few quick goon deaths...as a treat 😜.


	15. Chapter 15

(Y/N) walks into the large assembly room with Han, Leia, and Chewie. She smirks at the displeasure on some of the Alliance leaders’ faces. Even after all she had done, some in the Rebellion still refuse to trust her. But it was Ackbar’s ship and he liked (Y/N), so she was here. Though if the meeting had been held on any other ship, even Madine who tenaciously opposed (Y/N)’s continued presence, (Y/N) still would have come. Not just because it was an important meeting that probably had implications for her future, but also to see Madine’s mouth twist up like he ate something sour. Like it is now. (Y/N) winks at him deliberately before returning her attention to the conversation going on beside her.   
  
“Well, don't look at me, pal,” Han says defensively to something Lando must have said, “I just said you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were looking for somebody to lead this crazy attack.”   
  
“I'm surprised they didn't ask you to do it,” Lando responds.   
  
Han smirks, “Well, who says they didn't? But I ain't crazy. You're the respectable one, remember?”   
  
(Y/N) settles down between Chewie and Lando as Mothma steps forward, calling for attention.   
  
She addresses the crowd, “The Emperor has made a critical error and the time for our attack has come.”   
  
This causes a stir around (Y/N). 

“The data brought to us by the Bothan spies pinpoints the exact location of the Emperor's new battle station,” she presses a button, making a holographic model of a partially created Death Star and whatever celestial body it orbits around appear, “We also know that the weapon systems of this Death Star are not yet operational. With the Imperial Fleet spread throughout the galaxy in a vain effort to engage us, it is relatively unprotected. But most important of all, we've learned that the Emperor himself is personally overseeing the final stages of the construction of this Death Star.”  
  
A volley of chatter erupts from the crowd. (Y/N) sees Han turn to look at Leia as Chewie barks his amazement.   
  
“Many Bothans died to bring us this information,” Mothma adds to sober up the crowd before stepping back, “Admiral Ackbar, please.”   
  
Ackbar steps forward, “You can see here the Death Star orbiting the forest moon of Endor. Although the weapon systems on this Death Star are not yet operational, the Death Star does have a strong defense mechanism. It is protected by an energy shield, which is generated from the nearby forest moon of Endor,” he presses a button to make a model of a shield appear around the Death Star, “The shield must be deactivated if any attack is to be attempted. Once the shield is down, our cruisers will create a perimeter, while the fighters fly into the superstructure and attempt to knock out the main reactor.”   
  
There's a concerned murmur.   
  
“General Calrissian has volunteered to lead the fighter attack.”   
  
Han glances past Chewie and (Y/N) to offer Lando a look of respect, “Good luck.”   
  
Lando looks back at him with a surprised expression.   
  
Han adds, “You're gonna need it.”

(Y/N) rolls her eyes but says nothing.  
  
“General Madine.”   
  
Madine steps forward, “We have stolen a small Imperial shuttle. Disguised as a cargo ship, and using a secret Imperial code, a strike team will land on the moon and deactivate the shield generator.”   
  
The assembly begins to mumble among themselves again.   
  
(Y/N) leans over to Lando, asking quietly, “How much on it being Han?”   
  
Lando shakes his head, smiling at her, “I never take a bet I can’t win.”   
  
“General Solo,” Madine addresses Han, “is your strike team assembled?”   
  
Leia, startled, looks at Han, and (Y/N) watches the surprise change to admiration.   
  
“Uh,” Han shifts uncomfortably under everyone’s gaze, “my team's ready. I don't have a command crew for the shuttle.”   
  
Chewbacca raises his hairy paw and volunteers. Han looks up at him, “It's gonna be rough, pal. I didn't want to speak for you.”   
  
Chewie waves that off with a huge growl. Han smiles at him in appreciation.   
  
(Y/N) raises her hand to offer a lazy salute to Han.   
  
Han’s eyebrows shoot up and he offers to Madine and the rest of the room, “That's two.”   
  
“Uh, General...” Leia draws Han’s attention, “count me in.”   
  
“I'm with you, too,” Luke’s sudden voice announces his entrance into the room. 

Madine nods, content with this turnout. He shuts off the holoprojector and that’s a sign for everyone else that the meeting is over. The crowd starts to break up as (Y/N) and others walk over to greet Luke. Leia reaches him first and embraces him warmly. (Y/N) watches her pull back and ask, “What is it?  
  
Luke answers cryptically, “Ask me again sometime.”   
  
His eyes met (Y/N)’s and she can see the millions of thoughts running from his head. She raises an eyebrow silently in both greeting and question.   
  
“Luke,” Han greets, pulling Luke’s attention away from (Y/N).   
  
“Hi, Han...Chewie.”

(Y/N) turns and walks away. Better to leave the small group of friends to catch up without her there intruding.

***

  
Luke sighs to himself as he walks through the empty hallway, thoughts running a parsec a minute. 

The Force alerts him of an approaching presence coming around the corner, but Luke doesn’t react. Everyone here is Rebellion, he’s safe. 

It ends up being Lando, whose face lights up with a pleasant smile, “Luke.”

Luke approaches the man, offering, “Hey, Lando.”

Lando takes his hand, shaking it firmly, while his other comes up to clap Luke’s shoulder amicably. Despite not knowing each other for very long, or having spent much time together, the two of them had managed to become friends. After all, it had been Lando who helped Luke into the Falcon below Cloud City when he’d been beaten, bruised, missing a limb, and fresh from a trouncing by Vader. Saving someone’s life typically brought people close. Luke should know, most of his current friendships had sprung up from some life or death situation. And they had worked together to save Han from Jabba, which had required a lot of trust as well as time spent strategizing to figure out a plan with all the contingencies and considerations that (Y/N) had demanded. 

Not that Luke didn’t appreciate (Y/N)’s thoroughness. Her critical eye and mind when it came to planning had helped create an effective rescue plan that had succeeded with no casualties. There had still been that issue with the Rancor, though. All of their planning hadn’t included that. A part of Luke was looking forward to teasing (Y/N) about that when he finally got a chance to speak with her. He’d just have to be on the lookout for her response to it, whether it be a fist flying at his face or a knee to the groin. 

“Can I help you with something?” Luke asks. 

“In a way,” Lando answers strangely, “Though it might end up helping you too.”

“Well now you’ve got my attention,” Luke says lightly, “What is it?”

“It’s (Y/N).”

Luke’s muscles immediately tense. 

He’d been worried about this. That there might be some issue between Lando and (Y/N) while they were on Tatooine together. Unlike Lando and himself, Lando and (Y/N) had spent the last year together, working very closely, living together, conversing everyday. 

Luke knows (Y/N) can be an acquired taste. He personally finds her prickly personality amusing more than anything else, probably too much for his own good, but the same couldn’t be said for others. (Y/N) is an incredibly guarded person, so for Luke to have gotten past those walls and formed a close relationship with her meant something. He’d worked for it, and that had made the reward, her trust and the occasional smile, all the sweeter. 

But he had been on the rebel bases. He had watched how the members of the Rebellion had rejected her, talked to and about her, treated her poorly. Luke had held his tongue for the most part, to keep the peace and because he was only one man and couldn’t move a mountain, but it had been one of the harder things he’d ever done. Doing nothing as (Y/N) was mistreated by people he considered friends. Luke had told himself it could have been worse. Wedge, for example, had always been polite. Leia, Han, and Chewie got along with her. And Luke himself had offered the world to (Y/N) whenever he could. So she had never been alone or completely ostracized. But it still eats at him to this day, even though the days of suspicion, childish behavior, and hurtful words are largely in the past. But Luke still wishes he’d made more of an effort than he had to make (Y/N) feel like the human being she doesn’t realize she is. 

He feels so guilty. And he isn’t even the one who had done that to (Y/N), make her believe she is just a blunt object to be used by others. But it is still awful and turns Luke’s stomach like nothing else. No one should live their life not thinking it’s their own to live. It kills him to hear (Y/N) mention her ‘Masters’ or offer a response with something so clearly rehearsed and beaten into her or have no reaction to someone treating her poorly. 

(Y/N) has thick skin, something Luke does admire. She can take insults and injuries without flinching and continue on with her day like they’d never even happened. Luke isn’t like that, he cares about what people think and say and he feels pain when he’s hurt. But there’s a difference between not caring about what someone says and not comprehending she is allowed to be insulted, that she’s her own person capable of feeling things. 

Luke knows she doesn’t do it for sympathy, (Y/N) is the last person to feel sorry for herself. Her point of view is just incredibly skewed because of how she was raised. Tell someone they’re worthless long enough, and they will believe it. 

For someone so calculating and tightly controlled, (Y/N) can lack a shocking amount of self awareness. Luke has lost track of how many times people have turned and walked the other way when they come across (Y/N)’s path. Her natural expression is what Han had once dubbed her ‘murder face’, a name that had stuck despite all of Luke’s protests, and (Y/N) always seems surprised when Han tells her she is wearing it. The way she speaks often comes across as threatening, another aspect of (Y/N)’s person that Luke knows isn’t always intentional. Luke remembers one time in particular when she had been having a light-hearted conversation with Hobbie about something that had occurred at the base and how she had looked and sounded like she was about to rip his throat out. And while Luke had known at the time that she had no such desire, it had still been a terrifying sight. 

So Lando’s lack of knowledge about (Y/N) and the limited time they had spent together had put Luke on edge that the other man had been less than kind. 

Luke had tried to talk to (Y/N) on Tatooine, when they’d finally gotten around to seeing each other again. He had spoken to Lando a few times before everyone met at Ben’s house, but only Lando. (Y/N) hadn’t participated in the conversations on the coms. Luke understands now that she had been avoiding him, too busy falsely accusing herself and beating herself up over what had happened on Bespin. That angers Luke. No matter how many times Master Yoda had told him not to be emotional or allow anger to lay roots in his mind, there is a raging fire inside Luke when it comes to (Y/N). He was angry, and still is, that (Y/N) had spent the majority of the past year in a horrible mindset and hating herself for no reason. And it makes Luke even angrier knowing (Y/N) probably still hates herself for one thing or another and might keep doing that forever. 

(Y/N)’s answers to his questions on Tatooine had been even less forthcoming than usual, revealing absolutely nothing about the dynamic between herself and Lando. ‘Ask him yourself’ she had said. Well, once Lando had arrived, bringing Leia and Chewie with him, there hadn’t been a moment to be alone and have a conversation. So Luke had never gotten answers. All he knows is (Y/N) had either not seen any issue with how Lando had treated her or there had genuinely not been a problem. And that’s essentially knowing nothing.

Maybe now he’d finally know. 

“What is it?” Luke asks immediately, “Did something happen on Tatooine? Look-“

“Luke!” Lando cuts him off, hands raised in a placating way, “Luke, that’s not it.”

“Not what?” Luke asks suspiciously. 

“I don’t have an issue with (Y/N) or whatever it is that’s got you ready for a fight,” he looks Luke up and down, “I wanted to ask you about the arrangement the two of you have.”

“Oh,” Luke says awkwardly, feeling foolish and embarrassed. Lando is a good man, Luke shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. He offers timidly, “What about it?”

“Well, to be blunt, what is she doing here?”

Luke frowns, confused. Where else would she be? “What do you mean?”

“I already know about the deal the two of you have. Chewie explained it,” Lando waves his hand, “sort of. But I don’t get how she’s still here. Haven’t you asked her to do three things already? Because just in the past year, she’s gone to Bespin for you, gone to Tatooine for you, and is getting ready to go to Endor for you right now.”

Luke blinks in surprise, “She’s going to Endor?” This is news to him. 

“Yeah,” Lando frowns in confusion, “She’s a part of the Han’s team...I thought you asked her to do that while you were away or something.”

“No,” Luke shakes his head, “I didn’t ask her to come yet.”

“Alright...so I know of two then? Maybe not even then, because when I asked her about it on Tatooine she didn’t even seem sure.”

“Well, I never told her to go to Bespin,” Luke says slowly, trying to remember their conversations, “She offered on her own. And I asked if she’d go to Tatooine, but...”

Lando huffs, “You don’t know either.”

Luke rubs the back of his neck, “I haven’t thought about our deal for a while now.”

“Haven’t or don’t want to?”

Luke looks away from Lando, finding himself unable to meet his eye. 

“Ah,” Lando nods, “So you know (Y/N)’s overstayed the deal, but you don’t want to bring it up out of fear she’ll leave.”

Lando’s right on the mark. Luke knows (Y/N) had completed three tasks for him years ago. Even after all the stuff she wrote off as one thing or another, (Y/N) should have left probably before the Rebellion had even moved to Hoth. Yet she is still here. But Luke isn’t about to complain, he doesn’t want her to leave. 

He didn’t want her to return to the League. 

(Y/N) likes to tease him for being unobservant, and that might have been true when they had met. 

But Luke does pay attention. 

He watches (Y/N) all the time. 

From the beginning, (Y/N) has always had an air about her. 

She is so weary. It’s like she has the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders. Luke can see it in how she walks. He can see it when she turns her head to look for him, even when she knows he is there. He can see it in how she sits against the worn bench of the Falcon, or the time she had curled herself into the most uncomfortable looking chair in the medbay on Hoth, and can just see the exhaustion on her face. Like she just knew nothing was permanent and nothing could stay and that one day everything she had, which was an everything she had no right having to begin with, would be taken from her. 

It’s in the tight line of her neck, the muscle in her jaw and tendons in her hands that never truly relax, the tension in and around her eyes. 

He can see it in how even in the most calm situation, (Y/N) is never at peace. 

(Y/N) is so calculated in everything. Every step carefully thought out. Every word planned. Every action considered. 

She doesn’t speak much. Luke knows (Y/N) genuinely considers her words before she speaks, so the ones she does allow to pass her lips are thought out and to be taken seriously. 

She doesn’t act rashly, she doesn’t allow emotions to take control. Her actions are also carefully considered, so Luke knows she means what she does. 

(Y/N) calls it paranoia, and a number of other things like “being smart, Luke” which of course is always said with an annoyed tone as if he’s the dumbest person in the galaxy for not considering certain risks. But it’s true name is fear. Luke glances around as he thinks the word. If anyone could look into his mind and pull out that word, it would be (Y/N). But that’s what it was. She’s afraid. 

And Luke doesn’t want her to be afraid anymore.

“Hey, Luke,” Lando says, “You know it’s not one sided, right?”

“What?”

Lando looks around again, like he was waiting for (Y/N) to appear from nowhere and rip their heads off for talking about her. Luke can’t help but look around too, now that he pictures what (Y/N) might do if she did happen to be nearby and overhear something. 

“You not wanting (Y/N) to leave,” Lando explains, “If she wanted to leave, she would have left a long time ago. She would have done her three tasks and walked away without looking back. Do you realize how weird of a situation this is? Do you think a hired gun would stay with you the way (Y/N) has? Hell, she’s not even a regular hired gun, she’s a Shadow. (Y/N) had no right making that deal with you, much less staying this long after.”

Luke knows Lando is at least partially right. (Y/N) is very loyal to him for someone whose loyalties normally depended on who paid more. Or who paid her Masters more. She’s proven her commitment, if that’s even the right word to use, to him time and again. (Y/N) has also shown that she trusts Luke explicitly, which is an incredible feat for him to have accomplished. 

Her injuries. That business on Crandol. And then there was telling him about her head injury. Luke is one of the few, and the only one outside of the League, that knows about that. After getting over the shock of the story and processing the implications of (Y/N) sharing it, Luke had been overwhelmed with surprise over the information being shared. It is the one chink in (Y/N)’s otherwise impenetrable armor and she trusts him with that knowledge. 

He could kill her with that knowledge.

Luke doesn’t want to broach the topic of their deal out of fear that she will leave. Master Yoda had told him that fear is dangerous, but it is something Luke can’t shake no matter how hard he tries. And (Y/N) can read him like a book, so Luke is walking on a dangerously thin line here. 

And a part of him wants to believe what Lando said and believe (Y/N) could...Luke mentally shakes himself. 

“I don’t know, Lando,” Luke shrugs, “(Y/N) probably-“

“Listen, you could tell me excuses until you’re blue in the face,” Lando shakes his head, “but you won’t convince me otherwise. I have eyes, Luke.”

Luke scowls as they enter the storage room. A few members of the Endor team are inside, grabbing supplies. (Y/N) included. 

She glances in their direction before returning her attention to the table before her. Luke finds himself caught up in the moment, echoes of the conversation he just had with Lando in his head as he watches (Y/N) peruse the gear before her. His eyes follow the sharp line of her jaw, down the curve of her neck, down her arm, dancing across her dexterous fingers that grab a piece of camouflaged clothing. 

(Y/N) dons a jacket instead of poncho, most likely to make her weapons more accessible, and tucks a helmet under her arm. She approaches them, “Lando. Luke.”

“Hi,” Luke says somewhat breathlessly and prays to whoever is listening that the other two didn’t notice. 

“Hello there, Xan’a,” Lando says suavely. 

(Y/N) rolls her eyes with a surprising amount of fondness, “Please don’t.”

She looks at Luke and he can’t help but notice how the green of the camouflage makes the green in her eyes brighter, “Here.”

Luke pulls his focus down to (Y/N)’s hands that offer a helmet and poncho. He takes them numbly, saying nothing. (Y/N) raises an unimpressed eyebrow, “Alright.”

(Y/N) pushes past the two men, as they stand in the doorway, turning her head to smoothly send Luke a concerned look that Lando can’t see. (Y/N)’s most likely writing off his weird behavior as a result of what happened during his return to Dagobah. The look (Y/N) had already sent him in the meeting room had said she could see his troubled thoughts, even if she couldn’t decipher them, and they hadn’t had a chance to talk yet. 

And then she’s briskly walking away, blissfully unaware of the true depths of turmoil he’s going through right now. Luke watches her go. 

“Oh my god,” Lando claps a hand on Luke’s shoulder, “You’ve got it bad.”

Luke swallows the lump in his throat. 

“I’ll catch you later, alright?”

Luke’s still looking at the corner where (Y/N) had turned and disappeared from his sight, “Uh...yeah. Sorry.”

“It’s fine, Luke,” Lando says cheerfully as he walks away, “This will be a fun story to tell years from now at the wedding.”

Luke’s head snaps over so quickly his neck cracks to berate, “Lando!”

The other man keeps walking, laughing boisterously.

***

The ship around (Y/N) thumps as it lands. She stands and is the first out of the room, allowing a smirk to come on her face at the wide berth the rest of the team had given her during the journey. With no seats in the cockpit, aside from the one Luke had offered that (Y/N) had refused, she had sat with the others. They hadn’t looked pleased by her presence and (Y/N) hadn’t helped the situation by sharpening a knife for a part of the trip. It had made an otherwise boring journey entertaining though. 

She walks briskly down the ramp, falling behind Luke who is already walking down the hill they landed on along with Han, Chewie, and Leia. Luke glances over his shoulder, sensing (Y/N)’s presence despite her not saying anything.   
  
Leia and Chewie drop to the ground suddenly, signaling for everyone to stop. (Y/N) carefully approaches along with Luke and Han and they all peer down the hill.   
  
Two Imperial scouts walk around a small clearing, speeder bikes nearby.   
  
“Shall we try and go around?” Leia offers.   
  
Han makes a noise, “It’ll take time. This whole party will be for nothing if they see us.”   
  
Leia signals for the rest of the team to stay in place and the five of them make their way to a fallen log closer to the clearing.   
  
“Chewie and I will take care of this. You stay here.”   
  
(Y/N) peers around some green foliage, looking for other scouts as Luke voices what she’s thinking, “Quietly, there might be more of them.”   
  
“Hey...” Han’s tone tells (Y/N) without having to look that he’s grinning in his signature way, but she does anyway, “it’s me.”   
  
(Y/N) makes a small noise that goes unnoticed by everyone but Luke who glances at her with a smirk that reminds (Y/N) of herself. She returns to scoping out the forest around them. Her eye keeps being drawn to the left, though she can’t tell why yet.   
  
A blaster shot and crashing sound draws (Y/N)’s attention back to the clearing. One of the scouts is already running towards his bike.   
  
“Great, come on,” Luke says gruffly and the three of them stand and hurry towards the clearing. Chewie snips the one scout with his crossbow before the bike can speed away. Han and the other one start fighting.   
  
Luke is headed directly for Han but Leia is still by (Y/N)’s side, so they spot the other scouts at the same time. The forest lights up with flairs of green and white.

(Y/N) sees another trooper approaching where Han is still fighting the first scout. Thinking fast, she darts around a tree trunk, plants one foot and spins, putting all her weight behind the kick and driving her heel into the scout’s helmet, making him drop like a rock. She shoots him once to be sure.

“Over there! Two more of them!” Leia shouts from somewhere to (Y/N)’s left, rushing for the last speeder in the clearing.   
  
“I see them! Wait, Leia!” Luke sprints after Leia, climbing on the back of speeder and they speed away.   
  
“Hey, wait!” Han calls after them before flipping the scout over his shoulder. (Y/N) shoots the scout quickly, glancing over her shoulder at the sound of a speeder.   
  
“I’ll go after them,” (Y/N) tells Han as she backs away from him. 

Han turns to look at her, opening his mouth as he steps towards her. 

“Stay there,” she says sharply. (Y/N) bounces on her toes, listening to the approaching engine. 

The sound of the speeder gets closer and (Y/N) walks out in front of it. She catches the front of the speeder with her hand, allowing it to yank her body. (Y/N) turns in the air, foot connecting with the side of the trooper driving it. He falls from the speeder with a shout and (Y/N) completes her turn, throwing the speeder into high gear as her butt comes in contact with the seat. (Y/N) hears Chewie roar after her, but she’s already gone. 

(Y/N) catches up with them as Leia speeds up to the side of another bike. Luke jumps onto it and tosses the scout off.   
  
The three of them fly between the trees after the final scout. (Y/N) hears engines fire up and glances behind them.   
  
“There are two more on our tail!” (Y/N) calls out incase the other two didn’t notice.   
  
The scouts announce their presence by firing at Luke. They strike the back of his bike and it starts smoking. The engine protests loudly as Luke tries to urge it onward.   
  
“Take mine!” (Y/N) shouts over the wind.   
  
“What?” He yells back.   
  
(Y/N) guides her bike closer to Luke’s and throws a switch on the small control panel, stabilizing it. (Y/N) climbs up so she’s now crouching on the seat. The wind whips at her hair and face. 

“Take this one!” (Y/N) twists on the seat and starts shooting at the two behind them. The pair is too busy dodging her blasts to fire back.   
  
“(Y/N)! Turn around!”   
  
“Get over here! Now!” (Y/N) plants one foot on the metal connecting the seat to the controls, opening a space for him.   
  
Luke quickly gets off his bike which is smoking even more and already slowing down, jumping onto hers. Luke looks around her body to take over the controls and (Y/N) throws her arm above Luke’s shoulder to keep up her barrage on the scouts behind them. She glances at Leia to make sure she’s still with them. 

“Now what?”  
  
“You take those two,” (Y/N) supplies, “I’ll go with Leia.”   
  
“How-(Y/N)!” Luke shouts at her as (Y/N) throws herself through the air towards Leia’s bike.

(Y/N) lands safely on the seat behind Leia as she knew she would, smiling devilishly at Luke. She throws an arm around Leia for stability, “You get that?”  
  
“Yes,” Leia calls back and they speed away from Luke.   
  
Leia takes to the tops of the trees, speeding after their unknowing target. She throws the bike in gear and blasts back down, firing at the scout. He glances up at them, watching as they come down to his side.   
  
The scout pulls out a blaster and shoots at them. (Y/N) takes out her own to return fire but the scout hits the back of their bike first.   
  
Leia shouts and falls from the bike.   
  
“Leia!” (Y/N) yells and jumps after her. Leia tumbles across the ground gracelessly but (Y/N) knows how to fall properly, so she is quickly back on her feet, shooting at the back of the scout. Her shot is true and strikes the man in the back. He slumps forward and makes no move to avoid the large fallen tree in front of him. The explosion is large and loud but (Y/N)’s attention is quickly back on Leia, who drops flat to the ground.   
  
“Leia?” (Y/N) kneels beside her, feeling for a pulse. It’s there, she’s just unconscious. (Y/N) pushes at Leia’s side, saying her name again, but Leia doesn’t respond.   
  
“Leia,” (Y/N) smacks her shoulder. Still nothing.   
  
“Alright,” (Y/N) huffs, “I’ll wait.”   
  
She looks around the forest, contemplating her next move. They had been on the bikes for a while, so Han and the team are a fair distance away. Luke is still out there, but he could be even further away. And there is still the threat of more Imperial scouts as well as any creatures native to Endor.   
  
(Y/N) decides to leave Leia where she is, the clearing they are in would make sneaking up on (Y/N) nearly impossible. She walks to a large log and climbs up onto it. Using it as a platform, (Y/N) jumps up, grabbing a low hanging branch of a tree. She pulls herself up, throwing a leg onto the branch. View improved, she peers around, searching for anything.   
  
She glances down at Leia, spotting movement at the edge of the clearing. (Y/N) pulls out her blaster, taking aim. Instead of an Imperial scout, or a creature even slightly predatory-looking, a small bear approaches Leia’s prone form. It wields a small spear and pokes Leia’s side in a way that seems more curious then malicious.   
  
The bear pokes her side again and Leia sits up, barking, “Cut it out!”   
  
The creature jumps back, brandishing it’s spear. Leia sighs and stands, grabbing at her back. She walks away from the bear, who growls.   
  
“Wait...” Leia says, before calling out softly, “(Y/N)?”   
  
“Here,” (Y/N) answers quietly in return.   
  
Leia jumps at the unexpected origin of (Y/N)’s voice before glancing up at (Y/N)’s branch. (Y/N) waves.   
  
Leia huffs before saying to the growling creature, “I’m not going to hurt you.”   
  
She sits down on a log and looks around helplessly, “Well, looks like we’re stuck here. Trouble is, I don’t know where here is,” Leia looks up at (Y/N), “What exactly are you doing up there?”   
  
“Keeping an eye on everything. Hopefully Luke didn’t go too far, I say we wait a moment longer before trying to find our way back.”   
  
Leia nods in agreement, glancing at the bear who is creeping closer, “Come on, sit down.”   
  
The creature tightens his grip on the spear.   
  
“I promise I won’t hurt you,” Leia pats the log, “Now, come here.”   
  
“Leia,” (Y/N) says with a bored expression, “leave it alone.”   
  
“He’s harmless,” Leia replies, before addressing the bear, “All right. You want something to eat?”   
  
She holds out a piece of food to the creature. He cautiously approaches Leia. The smile is evident in her voice, “That’s right. Come on.”   
  
The bear inches closer and quickly snatches the food from Leia. He takes a bite, deems is satisfactory, and plops down next to Leia on the log.   
  
(Y/N) looks back out in the forest, listening absently to the one sided conversation below her about a hat. She sees a blip of white amongst the greens and browns, tensing immediately.   
  
“Leia!” (Y/N) hisses quietly.   
  
The bear scurries to his feet, looking around expectantly.   
  
“What is it?” Leia asks either (Y/N) or the creature.   
  
“Leia,” (Y/N) spits, “Get down!”   
  
A laser blast flies from between the trees and Leia tumbles off the log to avoid it. (Y/N) hears more movement and looks behind Leia, as another shot fires, spotting a scout that had been hidden by the trunk of (Y/N)’s tree. (Y/N) immediately grabs her blaster, but the scout is already next to Leia. (Y/N) can’t shoot, he might shoot Leia as a reaction. She tucks the blaster away, grabbing a knife instead. (Y/N) moves to another branch to be closer to the duo.   
  
The bear, hidden by the log, smacks the scout on the leg. The scout looks down and Leia jumps into action, grabbing a thick branch and smacking the scout with it. He falls to the ground loudly and Leia grabs her discarded blaster. She shoots the other scout who was trying to fly away on his bike.   
  
(Y/N) jumps from her branch as the first scout stands woozily and moves towards Leia’s vulnerable back. She lands squarely on his shoulders and as he falls from the unexpected weight, (Y/N) drives the knife into the soft part of his armor. She catches her footing, easily lifting off the still falling body.   
  
(Y/N) takes a step towards Leia, “Are you alright?”   
  
“Yeah,” Leia answers over the aggressive sounds from the bear that had started up again for some reason.   
  
(Y/N) looks down at the creature with barely concealed disgust, “Can I help you?”   
  
The creature growls and points his spear at her.   
  
“Mine’s bigger,” (Y/N) states flatly.   
  
Leia crouches down, “No! Hey, hey, she’s a friend. A friend!”   
  
The bear says something to Leia in his language.   
  
Leia huffs in frustration, “I don’t know what that means...and I doubt he knows what this means.”   
  
The bear jumps at (Y/N), brandishing his spear.   
  
“No!” Leia grabs at the creature’s arm, “She’s a-oh! (Y/N), take off your helmet.”   
  
“Why?” (Y/N) asks, thoroughly bored with the game.   
  
“Just do it.”   
  
(Y/N) takes off her helmet, waving it pointedly, “Happy?”   
  
“Not particularly,” Leia snarks, “but he is. Look.”   
  
(Y/N) glances at the bear, whose spear lays forgotten on the ground. He walks over to (Y/N) amicably, patting her thigh in greeting.   
  
“Alright, I’m done with this. Let’s go find the others.”   
  
“Good idea,” Leia lets the bear take ahold of her hand and the three of them start to walk back towards where Han should be. They don’t make it far, however, as the bear yanks on Leia’s hand, urging her in another direction.   
  
“Leia, come on,” (Y/N) says tiredly.   
  
The creature yanks at Leia and she shrugs at (Y/N), “Why don’t we see what he wants?”   
  
(Y/N) scowls, but knows it easier to go along with Leia than try to change her mind.   
  
The bear chatters happily at (Y/N) as she falls in line behind them.

***

“(Y/N)! Get out here!”  
  
(Y/N) wrestles away from the sea of bears who are still trying to convince her to put on the dress they presented her with. Leia had put hers on without protest, but (Y/N)’s patience with the bears had long since run out. She exits the hut, blinking in disbelief at the sight that greets her.   
  
Han is tied up above a fire pit, with Chewie and Luke just to the side. 3PO sits on a wooden chair by the chief of the bear tribe.   
  
“What the hell is going on?” (Y/N) asks as she approaches Leia.   
  
“I have no idea, but it looks like they’re trying to cook Han.”   
  
(Y/N) isn’t sure what to say to that. 

3PO starts shouting as his chair rises from the wooden floor. The bears rush away in a panic, but (Y/N) only has eyes for Luke. His are shut and his expression is serene in concentration. Ignoring the wave of shrieking bears and the still floating 3PO, (Y/N) walks towards him.   
  
The creatures chatter amongst themselves and start taking Han away from the fire and untying the others. (Y/N) reaches Luke first and starts to cut at the rope around his wrists, “I leave you alone for five minutes...”   
  
Luke grins and his eyes open to look at (Y/N). (Y/N) smirks as she kneels at his feet to free his ankles. She stands again, finding little distance between Luke and herself.   
  
“Are you alright?”   
  
“They didn’t try to cook us if that’s what you mean.”   
  
Luke laughs.   
  
“We got the scouts,” (Y/N) adds.   
  
“Good, I-Leia!” Luke hurries past (Y/N) to hug Leia. (Y/N) watches the trio huddle close together.   
  
Luke looks over at 3PO, grinning, “Thanks, 3PO.”   
  
“I...I never knew I had it in me,” 3PO says in awe of himself.

***

(Y/N) glances up at the sound of footsteps. She can already tell what Luke is going to say just from his body language.   
  
She stands and walks further away, away from Han, Leia, Chewie, and the droids where they linger amongst the bears. Walking down the wooden walkway with only torches to provide light.   
  
Luke follows her silently. (Y/N) turns on her heel promptly to face him, saving him from the struggle she can already see in his eye of trying to find the right way to broach the topic, “You’re leaving.”   
  
Despite all of their time spent together, Luke still looks surprised that she figured it out.   
  
“I have to.”   
  
“Vader?”   
  
“Yes.”   
  
(Y/N) looks at him closely, “The last time we spoke about your father, you said you couldn’t kill him. Do you stand by that?”   
  
Luke nods silently.   
  
“Then what do you plan on doing?”   
  
“I’m going to save him.”   
  
(Y/N) frowns, “Save him?”   
  
“From the dark side,” Luke elaborates, “There’s still good in him.”   
  
“How do you know?”   
  
“I’ve sensed it,” Luke says like that explains everything.   
  
(Y/N)’s eyebrows raised, unimpressed, “Was this before or after he cut off your hand?”   
  
Luke makes a face at her, “I sensed it then and I sensed it when we arrived here.”   
  
(Y/N) glances up at the Death Star that looms ominously in the sky, “He’s here?”   
  
“Yes.”   
  
“And he sensed you?”   
  
Luke nods.   
  
(Y/N)’s brow furrows, “So he knows we’re here...why did he let us land?” (Y/N) asks, “We were right there, he could have captured us.”   
  
“Exactly,” Luke says, “He wouldn’t kill me on Bespin and he let us land. He won’t bring me to the Emperor, I can save him.”   
  
(Y/N) steps closer, “The Emperor holds your father’s leash in a tight grasp, Luke, it’s not something he will let slip away just like that,” she snaps her fingers at ‘that’.   
  
“It’s already slipping away, (Y/N). I know there’s still good within him.” Luke speaks with such conviction (Y/N) wants to believe him.   
  
“You’ve made your decision.” It’s not a question.   
  
Luke frowns, “You think it’s the wrong one.”   
  
(Y/N)’s nose wrinkles, “I didn’t say that.”   
  
“You thought it.”   
  
“We both know your Jedi powers don’t work on me,” (Y/N) replies pridefully before continuing sincerely, “I just worry about you. Your father won’t be able to just walk away from the man who has had such a stronghold over him for over twenty years. I was on Dagobah too, I heard what Yoda said. About how the dark side is seductive and controls your destiny. And while I think the old toad was full of it half the time,” Luke snorts despite himself, “there’s truth in that. It’s hard to break away from something like that.”   
  
“You did.”   
  
(Y/N) jerks back at the blunt statement, shoulders rising in lieu of hackles.   
  
Luke grimaces, reaching out to her. (Y/N) allows the hand to rest on her arm, “(Y/N), I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”   
  
(Y/N) nods and unlocks her jaw.   
  
“I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to-“   
  
“I know,” (Y/N) cuts him off, ready to move on. It was a miscommunication. It’s not Luke’s fault she’s so irritable. 

Well, his self-sacrificial tendencies didn’t help.   
  
Luke sighs, “I have to do this.”   
  
“I know you do,” (Y/N) says genuinely, “He’s your father. If you sense something in him, who am I to argue?”   
  
Luke smiles softly at her.   
  
“But you need to remember he’s more than just your father. And that it’s not just him you’re going up against,” (Y/N) looks into Luke’s blue eyes, “I don’t want you to lose your life trying to save someone who can’t or won’t be saved.”   
  
Luke looks back at her for a beat, before pulling her into a hug. (Y/N) doesn’t reciprocate, but finds herself leaning into it instead of grimacing. She manages to rest her hand on his back, though it feels incredibly weird.   
  
“I won’t,” Luke says quietly, as if he’s making sure no one else can hear despite them being completely alone, like he wants to be sure (Y/N) knows his words are for her, “I’ll save my father and I’ll come back. I promise.”   
  
(Y/N) turns her head, getting a faceful of Luke’s hair, and she breathes in his faint scent, “I will watch over the others. No harm will come to them, I promise.”   
  
Luke pulls away to look at her face, expression drastic, “(Y/N), I thought we’d talked about this. What happened on Bespin wasn’t your fault-“   
  
“No, Luke,” (Y/N) shakes her head, it seems they’re both failing at communicating properly tonight, “I was just making you a promise. Han is your best friend and I know you love Leia.”   
  
“Oh!” Luke exclaims, “I almost forgot about Leia.”   
  
(Y/N) looks at him expectantly.   
  
Luke rubs the back of his neck, “When I was on Dagobah...I spoke with Ben again.”   
  
“What did he say?”   
  
“Leia is my sister.”   
  
(Y/N) blinks dumbly, “I’m sorry?”   
  
“I know,” Luke smiles self deprecatingly, “I was just as surprised. But...it feels right. You know?”   
  
“No,” (Y/N) says flatly.   
  
Luke huffs a laugh, “I guess you wouldn’t.”   
  
(Y/N) rolls her eyes.   
  
“But,” Luke takes a breath, “if I don’t return...she’s the best hope for the galaxy.”   
  
(Y/N) nods soberly, “I understand. Does she know?”   
  
“Uh, no, but I’ll tell her before I leave. She should hear it from me.”   
  
“I agree.”   
  
“Thank you, (Y/N),” Luke says genuinely, “I don’t tell you that enough. Thank you for everything.”   
  
(Y/N) looks at Luke silently. The flames that flicker around them throw off his features with dancing shadows. 

She wanted to tell Luke not to leave, she wanted to tell Luke a lot of things. But she didn’t have the time, and probably wouldn’t even be able to pull the words from her throat if she did.   
  
(Y/N) swallows and says, “Come back and we’ll call it even.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Luke’s POV gets really introspective, but we haven’t heard from Luke since the day he met (Y/N), so we needed to take the time and catch up with him. Hopefully it didn’t get too boring or prattle on for you guys, I felt like it was a needed response to all that (Y/N)’s been going through ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	16. Chapter 16

The dark, curved roof of the hut stares back at (Y/N). 

She scowls at it accusingly, as if it’s the reason she can’t sleep. As if she hasn’t been worrying over Luke since he left, worrying about what he is going to attempt and worrying that she could have said more to help him. As if she isn’t also thinking about her own suicidal mission tomorrow: breaking into a facility that’s probably the most heavily guarded building in the galaxy other than the Imperial Center on Coruscant. 

(Y/N) rolls to her side, careful not to wake the others. The bear sleep in piles, cuddled up together in large nest-like beds. Luckily, there are none in her nest, just Han and Leia. Chewie, unfortunately for him, had not been able to escape the piles, their new found furry companions had accosted him to another hut when everyone had been heading to bed a few hours ago. The nest is large enough for the three of them, four if Luke had still been with them, to fit without touching. And the way Han and Leia lay intertwined, holding each other tightly even as they slept, left (Y/N) with plenty of room.   
  
(Y/N) breathes out through her nose and lifts herself over the edge of the nest. She walks soundlessly across the wooden floor and out into the communal area. Coming to a stop at the guard rail, (Y/N) gazes out at the trees. 

After a few minutes of nothing but the sounds of nature and the crackling of fire, (Y/N) hears soft footsteps behind her.    
  
“Couldn’t sleep?”   
  
“No,” (Y/N) doesn’t bother glancing back, “Sorry, did I wake you?”   
  
“I-did you just apologize?”   
  
(Y/N) scowls at herself. Her mind was so far away, she hadn’t even noticed, “I suppose so.”   
  
“Are you feeling alright?”   
  
(Y/N) glances at Leia as she reaches the guard rail, “Funny.”   
  
“Thank you,” Leia smirks at her, before saying seriously, “But are you?”   
  
(Y/N) looks forward again to hide the eye roll, “Always am.”   
  
Leia takes a deep breath before saying, “I’m worried about him too.”   
  
(Y/N)’s lips purse, “I take it he told you?”   
  
“Yes,” Leia’s voice is strange, “but I would have worried for him regardless.”   
  
“And?” (Y/N) prompts, sensing Leia wants to talk. She could have stayed in the hut if she wanted to be in silence.    
  
“I don’t know...it feels right. Like somehow I always knew we were connected.”   
  
“You sound like Luke,” (Y/N) comments offhandedly.    
  
“Well we are siblings.”   
  
The corner of (Y/N)’s mouth, the side Leia can’t see, quirks up.    
  
“It is strange though,” Leia continues, “I had thought I had lost my family years ago, but it turns out the closest possible family one could have was at my side this whole time. And now I know for certain, and he might have just walked off to his death. At the-“ Leia cuts herself off.   
  
“At the hands of your father,” (Y/N) finishes bluntly.    
  
Leia flinches, “He’s not my father. Bail was my father. He raised me and guided me through this galaxy better than anyone else could have. He understood me, he loved me. I...I can’t-won’t replace him with someone I don’t know just because of blood.”   
  
“I understand.”   
  
“Luke also said that if he didn’t make it back, I was the best hope for the Alliance.”   
  
“Yes.”   
  
Leia frowns, “Are you agreeing with him?”   
  
(Y/N) shrugs, “I meant that he told me too, but I suppose.”   
  
“What do you think he meant by that? I’m no Jedi.”   
  
“There's more than one way to be of value,” (Y/N) answers, “You aren’t a Jedi, but who cares? And I doubt there’s another old toad squatting in a swamp somewhere for you to find anyway.”   
  
Leia tilts her head in question at (Y/N)’s phrasing.    
  
(Y/N) waves her hand, “It’s nothing. What I mean is that you can be the one to restore the Republic, or whatever it is you want to do, without wielding a lightsaber. You’re very intelligent and cunning for a civilian. I know this is a strange way to put it, but you would have been a good Shadow. I noticed it back when I was still a prisoner of the Alliance.”   
  
Leia laughs lightly, “That seems like a lifetime ago.”   
  
“Indeed. You’re a proven politician, negotiator, and leader. You might not possess the control of the Force like Luke does, but it’s in your blood. It helps you focus and in general will help you in subtle ways you wouldn’t even notice. I watched Luke train on Dagobah, so I know what it looks like when someone reaches that level. You were already there when I was being led around in handcuffs. So, yes, if Luke,” (Y/N) grimaces, hating to say the words, “doesn’t make it back, you are the best hope for the galaxy.”   
  
Leia is silent for a long time. She blinks, almost dumbly, at (Y/N).    
  
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you speak that much before,” Leia says eventually, “or give a compliment.”   
  
(Y/N) graces Leia with a look of pure disdain.    
  
“Thank you.”   
  
(Y/N) bites her tongue, nodding her head minutely.    
  
“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Leia concludes.   
  
“Neither do I,” (Y/N) taps her fingers on the rail, “But Luke believes he can save yo-his father, so perhaps we are worrying over nothing.”   
  
Leia sends (Y/N) a grateful look at her correction. 

There is a brief silence before Leia eventually asks, “Did you know your parents?”

(Y/N) clenches her jaw. She doesn’t like being asked about herself. But she does understand why Leia did it. 

“No, and I don’t care to,” she sneers, hoping Leia will realize from her tone that she doesn’t want to talk about this, “They were never there, all I’ve ever known is the League.”   
  
“Did you ever think they might not have had a choice?”   
  
“Yes, but why tell myself some tragic story of two people out there somewhere, mourning their lost daughter? Especially when I have no proof. I don’t need such sentiments to sleep at night.”   
  
“And yet you can't sleep,” Leia replies quietly.    
  
(Y/N)’s jaw is clenched tightly as she grounds out, “My absent parents are hardly the reason I’m awake right now.”

Leia nods, “I know. I know how important he is to you.”   
  
(Y/N) can hear the unspoken words and is once again impressed by Leia’s cleverness, even if she doesn’t like where this conversation is currently situated. She looks at the other woman, noting how the brown of her hair still bleeds into the air, floating around her like she was in water. But it’s far more brown than it was when (Y/N) first met her.    
  
Leia looks back, refusing to back down, a silent challenge to (Y/N) to disagree. (Y/N) looks down her nose at Leia, eyebrow cocked, “He’s important to the Rebellion.”   
  
Leia’s own eyebrows raise, unconvinced and unimpressed all at once, “You aren’t Rebellion.”   
  
“Symantecs,” (Y/N) says dismissively and, thoroughly tired of this conversation, adds, “Shouldn’t you be asleep?”   
  
“Shouldn’t you?”   
  
(Y/N) scoffs, “I successfully completed missions after not sleeping for a week as part of my training. I can handle one night.”   
  
Leia’s look of disgust is directed at the League, not (Y/N), “Well you don’t have to do that here.”   
  
“So I’ve been told,” (Y/N) says flatly, remembering all the times Luke tried to assure her she was safe with them. Safe to relax and be human and be flawed.    
  
“I don’t have puppy eyes like Luke,” Leia needles, “but I’m stubborn and will stand here all night if I must.”   
  
She’s as obnoxious as her brother, and her not so secret love of her life. (Y/N) makes sure Leia can see the eye roll this time, “I’m going to bed.”   
  
“Good idea,” Leia smiles smugly.    
  
“It’s for your sake, not mine,” (Y/N) decides to knock Leia down a few notches, “I know you are itching to return to Han’s embrace.”   
  
Leia’s face flushes red and (Y/N) sends her own smug smile to the other woman before retreating to the hut.    
  
Leia quickly regains her composure enough to march after her, saying sharply once entering the hut herself, “I’ll have you know-“   
  
(Y/N) shushes her obnoxiously loudly, “Han’s sleeping.”   
  
The man, as if hearing his name, shifts where he lays in the empty nest, still half asleep and mumbles, “Leia?”   
  
Leia’s expression softens dramatically when she turns her attention to Han. She climbs back into the nest and slides up next to him. Han’s sleep-heavy arm wraps around her body smoothly, like it's done that motion a million times. Leia purposefully doesn’t look at (Y/N) and closes her eyes, snuggling closer.    
  
(Y/N) climbs into the nest and reclaims the spot still warm from her body heat and closes her own eyes. She stares at the inside of her eyelids for about another hour before finally drifting off.   


***  


For the first time since encountering them, (Y/N) is grateful their little group befriended the bears. Their knowledge of the area had revealed a backdoor to the shield generator, where only a handful of guards stood.    
  
“Back door, huh? Good idea,” Han unknowingly voices her thoughts, “It’s only a few guards. This shouldn’t be too much trouble.”   
  
“Well, it only takes one to sound the alarm,” Leia grumbles.    
  
Han says with a familiar confident grin, “Then we’ll do it real quiet like.”   
  
“Like you did yesterday?” (Y/N) asks, unimpressed, “We can’t afford that again. I’ll handle them.”   
  
Han makes a childish face at her.    
  
“Oh!” 3PO says behind them, “Oh my. Uh, Princess Leia!”   
  
Leia replies, “Quiet!”   
  
“I’m afraid our furry companion has gone and done something rather rash.”   
  
“Oh, no,” Leia’s tone makes (Y/N) finally look away from the door.   
  
One of the bears is climbing onto one of the speeders, already flicking buttons and switches.    
  
“There goes our surprise attack,” Han says, sounding as exhausted with the bears as (Y/N) feels.    
  
The speeder springs to life and the bear zips away from the clearing.    
  
“Look! Over there!” A guard yells, pointing at the bear, “Stop him!”   
  
All but one of the guards climb aboard their own speeders and fly away. The lone man remains at the door.    
  
(Y/N), Leia, Han, and Chewie all exchange looks of disbelief and delight. R2 beeps happily.    
  
“Not bad for a little furball,” Han says, “There’s only one left. You stay here. We’ll take care of this.”   
  
He slips away quickly, ignoring (Y/N)’s annoyed “Han!”   
  
(Y/N) scowls but stays with Leia and the droids, watching as the team moves to hide along the side of the building. Han approaches the trooper from the other side and, in a move only a mind like Han’s could think of and then decide to actually go with, taps him on the shoulder. The guard looks, shouts “Hey!”and runs after Han. He follows Han right over to the other side of the building, only to be greeted by several armed rebels. He stops and immediately lifts his hand in surrender.    
  
“I can’t believe that actually worked,” (Y/N) says in genuine shock.    
  
“Me neither. Come on,” Leia replies and the two of them head down to the building.    
  
They all wait briefly for the largely grey, white bearded rebel to change into the guard’s uniform before opening the door.    
  
Han leads them all inside to the control room. He announces their presence loudly before any of the Imperials have the chance to react, “Alright! Up! Move! Come on! Quickly! Quickly, Chewie!”   
  
The other rebels herd the Imperial officers away from the controls and into the corner. (Y/N) slips from the room, completely unnoticed, knowing there are more than enough people still in the room to plant all of the charges. She prowls along the catwalk, sharp eyes scanning. There’s row after row of generators, pressed close together, and going on as far as she can see. (Y/N) cracks her knuckles, this place was more bomb than building. If they managed to pull this off, the explosion would be gigantic.    
  
(Y/N)’s eyes snap away and spot what she came for, a horde of Imperial troops are approaching from both sides. Hidden by the shadows, they march right past her. (Y/N) grimaces at the sound of the others being captured, but she knows there’s nothing she can do. Blow her cover, she’s dead before she reaches the control room. It’ll serve them better if she waits.    
  
The sounds of Han’s boisterous protests and Chewie’s barks leave her hearing range as they are ushered from the building. (Y/N) glances around the wall of the small area that had served as her hiding place. Seeing the coast is clear, (Y/N) darts away into a small room. Thankfully it’s empty, just a storage closet.    
  
She stands by the doorway and waits. Moments later, an Imperial dressed in all black and wearing a large helmet walks towards her. (Y/N) reaches up to her collar to one of the small vertical pieces connecting the long horizontal bars. She twists it just right and the piece pops off, expanding in her hand, revealing the garrote wire. Gripping it tightly in her hands, (Y/N) snaps forward, swinging the wire over the man’s helmet and around his neck. She pulls it taut, cutting off the man’s shout. (Y/N) yanks him into the storage closet and tightens the wire so it cuts into the man’s flesh. His choked gasps cut off completely and his feet kick fruitlessly. But not for long.    
  
(Y/N) shrugs off her camouflage coat, but leaves on the black tank and pants she wears underneath. The man is bigger than her so his clothes slide on over them. She twists her hair up onto the top of her head, tucking it under the large helmet. The wide brim, chin strap, and careful angling on her part will keep her gender, and by extension not being an Imperial, hidden from others.    
  
(Y/N) exits the closet and briskly walks back the way she came. She enters the control room and approaches an officer, making her voice as deep as it can go, “Sir, I was told to bring the explosives outside, in case we missed a detonator or they’re on a timer.”   
  
The officer nods, handing her the big bag, “Of course, take them right away. We’ve collected all of them.”   
  
“Yes, sir.” (Y/N) ducks past everyone, not one of them giving her a second glance. She smiles as the back door is opened for her without question.   
  
(Y/N) walks over to the officer who stands by Han, who is currently sneering something at the man.    
  
3PO suddenly appears from the tree line, calling, “Hello! I say, over there! Were you looking for me?”   
  
(Y/N) frowns at the droid but keeps focused. The officer she’s walking towards sends troops after 3PO, “Bring those two down here!”   
  
He turns to look at (Y/N) expectantly, “Yes?”   
  
“Sir, these are all the rebels’ explosive devices.”   
  
Han’s head swivels over to look at the bag, mind probably racing as he tries to figure out what the next move is.   
  
The officer nods and takes it from her, “Ah, yes, of course. That will be all.”   
  
“Yes, sir.” (Y/N) glances up at Han, whose eyes widen as he realizes it's her. 

“What…?”

She winks at him and turns away. (Y/N) pulls her blaster from the holster and shoots the officer without even glancing back.    
  
A horn sounds from above but (Y/N) ignores it, yanking off her helmet to whip it at another officer. She notices countless bear creatures emerging from the trees and start attacking the Imperial troops. (Y/N) pulls out her other blaster, shooting at the troops closest to the rebels.    
  
Han leaps into action, quickly shaking the shock, and jumps a trooper. Leia and the others scramble for their weapons as the Imperials flee into the forest. (Y/N) looks left and right, watching the chaos around them.    
  
“Come on!” (Y/N) beckons Han and Leia to the building’s door, establishing better cover for them.    
  
(Y/N) hands the bag of explosives to Han, “Try not to lose them this time.”

He just looks at her in silent amazement.   


She offers him a winning smile.  
  
“The code’s changed,” Leia says from the control panel, “We need R2!”   
  
(Y/N) leaves Leia to handle that, focusing her attention on the clearing around them.    
  
R2 and 3PO approach the door and (Y/N) addresses the astrodroid, “Hold up, I need a boost.”   
  
The droid stops obediently and straightens. (Y/N) plants her foot on his shoulder. She climbs up and jumps, grabbing the ledge of the building’s roof. She pulls herself up, swinging her legs over. (Y/N) twists around, finding cover in the slightly raised edge. Her aerial angle makes the troopers and officers easy targets as they scramble around amongst the trees and shrubbery just off the clearing.   
  
(Y/N) turns her attention to beyond at the sound of explosions.    
  
The bears aren’t as effective with the walkers as they are the individual troops. (Y/N) toys with the notion of going deeper into the forest, but is hesitant to abandon Leia and Han.    
  
(Y/N) drops flat to the roof as a shot flies dangerously close to her. (Y/N)’s head snaps over to the left and she spots an officer swinging his arm. (Y/N) fires back and hits him dead center in the chest. As he falls, his motion completes and a small detonator is launched into the air. It’s not enough to bring down the roof or even alert the people inside, but it’s enough to kill her.    
  
(Y/N) leaps off the roof, aiming for what appears to be a softer part of ground. She falls, letting the momentum carry her as opposed to trying to stop it. Her knees are loose and her head tucks as she rolls across the grass.    
  
She stands quickly, blaster at the ready. (Y/N) decides since she lost her perch, she might as well make the best of it. She ducks into the forest, shooting Imperial troops down easily as she approaches a walker. (Y/N) fingers one of the explosives on her hip, but ultimately decides on something better.    
  
(Y/N) quickly scales a tree and is balanced on one of the branches in perfect position. The walker moves closer to her tree and (Y/N) spots Chewbacca and two bears climbing another tree.    
  
“Chewie!” (Y/N) calls loudly over the sounds of fighting.    
  
He looks over at her and barks.    
  
“You thinking what I’m thinking?”   
  
Chewie howls and the two bears critter excitedly.    
  
(Y/N) tenses her muscles and waits for Chewie’s move. He grabs a thick vine, tugging on it to make sure it will hold, before releasing his hold on the tree. He swings through the air with a bear on either hip. (Y/N) leaps from her branch and falls, landing on top of the walker’s body with a loud thump at the same time Chewie does.    
  
The bears quickly scoot down to peek into the windows and hatch immediately opens in response. Chewie reaches down inside, yanking one of the Imperials out before chucking him off of the walker. The bears drop down into the cockpit and start attacking the remaining Imperial. (Y/N) hops in, stabbing the man to finish the job.   
  
The whole walker jerks forward erratically as the bears start meddling with the controls.    
  
Chewie and (Y/N) both yell loudly in protest. (Y/N) scrambles to push the furry creatures from the seats as Chewie ducks his head in to barks loudly.    
  
“I heard you the first time!” (Y/N) barks back, “It was them, not me. Get in here!”   
  
Chewie quickly enters the cockpit properly and sits awkwardly in the top small chair. He has to bend in half to look out the windows. He growls and smacks the side wall.    
  
“I know it’s not ideal,” (Y/N) says, “Just focus on moving. I’ll direct you and shoot.”   
  
Chewie nods and looks down at the controls. The walker starts to walk forward again, Chewie easily figuring out how to make it move how he wants. (Y/N) throws some switches and yanks roughly at the stiff controls. Peering through the window in front of her, (Y/N) opens fire on another walker. It explodes immediately and she sees the creatures jumping for joy at its feet.    
  
(Y/N) continues to shoot at the troopers that now flee the walker, occasionally correctly Chewie’s trajectory.    
  
They march through the forest, moving slowly towards the clearing, killing any troopers stupid enough to come near them.    
  
“Easy,” (Y/N) instructs as they enter the clearing.    
  
Chewie barks and brings the walker to a stop.    
  
Han looks over at them, raising his hands in their air. (Y/N) sees Leia’s feet pull back out of view. Before Han does anything reckless, Chewie stands and pops open the top.    
  
He howls down at Han. The two have an exchange (Y/N) can only hear half of. The next thing she knows, Chewie’s climbing out of the walker and pulling the two bears out with him. 

(Y/N) leans back in her seat to look through the hole. Her view of trees is blocked as Han’s boots appear, followed by the rest of his body.    
  
“Oh. Hey, (Y/N),” Han greets breathlessly.    
  
“Hi,” (Y/N) replies as Han takes the helmet of the dead man at his feet, “What half-brained scheme have you come up with now?”   
  
“Shut up and help me steer this thing.”  


***  


(Y/N) looks up pointlessly. The sky is blocked by trees. And even if it wasn’t, there’s nothing up there. The ghost of the Death Star’s explosion had disappeared long ago.   
  
She leans against the tree, arms crossed over her chest. The bears had started celebrating the moment they all returned to the village and some of the rebels from the fight above have already made their way here. She doesn’t pay them any mind though, their grey colors blending in with everything else. (Y/N)’s sights are set on one person in particular, who has yet to return.    
  
Just then, as if fate had been listening to her thoughts, (Y/N) looks to the left at the hint of movement and is already running before her mind even catches up with what she sees. For once, (Y/N) completely disregards everything drilled into her. 

She barrels right into Luke, wrapping her arms tightly around him, ignoring that she might be holding him too tightly or trodding on his foot. (Y/N)’s never properly hugged anyone before, but she doesn’t care. She doesn’t care that this breaks every rule. Luke is back.    
  
Luke’s own arms come up to hug (Y/N) back. His hands bunch into the thin fabric of her shirt, and (Y/N) feels him let out a huge breath of relief.    
  
“Luke.”   
  
“(Y/N).”   
  
“You came back,” (Y/N) can feel the faint trembling through Luke’s body and leans back, “What is it? What happened?” Her hands grab repeatedly at him, instinctively looking for injury. 

“I did it, (Y/N),” Luke says softly, “I saved my father.”   
  
(Y/N) pulls back further, recognizing the tremors. She’d suffered them for hours after training sessions.    
  
“Who did this to you?” (Y/N) demands angrily, gripping Luke’s arms tightly.    
  
“The Emperor,” Luke answers, shaking his head, “but my father...he saved me. He turned back to the good.”   
  
(Y/N) nods, “Where is he?”   
  
Luke looks down at his feet, “That’s why I came. I need your help.”   
  
“Of course.”   
  
Luke leads her away from the bears and others, ignoring the calls of rebels as more of them arrive and start celebrating. He takes her through the trees, seemingly nowhere, but actually down a path only Luke can see. They eventually reach a clearing where an Imperial shuttle sits.    
  
(Y/N) walks up the ramp beside Luke, searching the ship expectantly. Her eyes fall on the figure laying on the ground and she stops in place. That disgusting black of death still radiates off of him, but the stillness of his chest tells (Y/N) that it’s for a different reason this time. Luke glances at her silently. (Y/N) walks over slowly, looking at Vader’s true face.   
  
Don’t get involved with Force users. The League had always stressed that. A Force user could topple the League singlehandedly. Darth Vader had been the one who destroyed the Jedi Temple on Coruscant during the fall of the Old Republic, and had hunted down and wiped out all the Jedi who managed to escape the initial purge. Get on the bad side of a Force user, and they all would suffer the consequences. (Y/N) had grown up in fear of Darth Vader and The Emperor. There was nothing she could do, no training she could master, no maneuver she could learn that would beat the raw power of the Force. (Y/N) had made absolutely certain to avoid them at all costs. And now she was practically on top of one.    
  
Darth Vader. The fist of the Galactic Empire. (Y/N) had only seen him once before, on Bespin. He had been looming, terrifying, with a deep, resonating voice that commanded absolutely and left no room for argument. And now, he lay at her feet. His helmet was gone, revealing the face below it. (Y/N)’s sharp eyes trace over it. His skin is sickly pale, and (Y/N) imagined it had looked that way long before his death. There were huge, brutal scars. (Y/N) had always believed there was purpose for Vader’s outfit beyond aesthetic, but she’d never imagined it was so bad. Vader had been absolutely savaged by something or someone. She could see the wiring of a mechanical arm where his hand had been cut off, most likely by Luke’s lightsaber. (Y/N) could only image how the rest of his body looked. His eyes were sunken in and he looked so incredibly tired, and tortured, even in death. All the fear Vader had struck into the hearts of the people in this galaxy, and under that intimidating mask, he was just a small, broken man.    
  
(Y/N) glances at Luke, who is tense, as if braced for something. Her reaction, (Y/N) realizes. This is his father, after all. Despite all the horrendous acts he had committed, Vader was Luke’s father.   
  
“What was his name?”   
  
Luke blinks, probably not expectantly that of all the possible questions, “Anakin.”   
  
(Y/N) looks down at Anakin Skywalker, touching his chest armor carefully with her fingertips, “Anakin,” she rolls the name in her mouth, getting a feel for it, “That’s a nice name.”   
  
She straightens her legs, looking at Luke, “What do you want to do?”   
  
Luke steps forward, looking relieved for a moment, before refocusing, “We need wood. Lots of it.”  


***

  
(Y/N) can hear the sounds of celebration as her and Luke return silently to the bear’s village. The two hadn’t said anything during the construction and burning of Anakin’s pyre, working together seamlessly as they had for years. 

She feels so incredibly small in this moment. (Y/N) imagines the news of the Rebellion’s victory is spreading throughout the galaxy and that across the stars people are celebrating through the night, and will continue to party for a week. The rebels, including their friends, are not far now, celebrating the great victory.    
  
Luke and (Y/N) were probably the only ones who would mourn tonight. Yes, there were still many Imperial ships and agents in the galaxy who were far from celebrating. But they weren’t mourning the passing of their leaders, they’d be assessing the situation and appointing new ones. They’d be spitting insults at and cursing the Rebellion and the Jedi nightmare Luke Skywalker who had killed their leader and taken out two Siths in one.    
  
Darth Vader would not be missed. And Anakin Skywalker died over twenty years ago, so no one would mourn him either. There wasn’t anyone left from that time to do it. Leia didn’t care about him, probably hated him. And she is at liberty to, after all he had done to her. Only (Y/N) and Luke knew the truth, and so they were the only ones who found sobriety in all of this. A whole galaxy. And then the two of them, walking in the dark forest together in silence. The League had made (Y/N) feel small and irrelevant before, but this was the first time she felt it so strongly.    
  
She glances at Luke, who seems lost in his own thoughts. She chooses not to break the silence, though Luke wouldn't have minded if she had.    
  
They make their way up to where the wooden platforms are and head towards the sound of singing and dancing.    
  
As they reach the outskirts of the party, (Y/N) slows her pace, preparing to break away. There’s probably a hut far enough from the celebration and shouting rebels where she can rest and possibly even sleep for a while. The Empire is defeated and Luke is safe. She can finally relax a bit.    
  
Luke slows too, “(Y/N)? What is it?”   
  
“Nothing,” (Y/N) waves him off, “go ahead.”   
  
“What about you?”   
  
She grimaces more than smiles, “I don’t exactly have a place at a Rebel Alliance party.”   
  
Luke tilts his head like a bird, “It’s not a Rebel Alliance party.”   
  
(Y/N) raises an eyebrow, “Oh?”   
  
He smiles triumphantly, “There’s nothing to rebel against anymore. It’s just a party, so you can come.”   
  
(Y/N) purses her lips to avoid smiling, saying grouchily, “Fine.”   
  
Luke nods with finality and they start walking. Han and Leia are already looking away from the party, expecting their arrival, and their faces light up as they see Luke. Leia rushes over and Luke meets her halfway. They hug tightly and Luke moves on to hug Han. Despite having been together all day, Han and Leia both greet (Y/N) warmly as Luke moves on. She quietly lingers by the couple as Luke makes his way through the party, greeting his many friends. She will say hello to a handful of people, Lando, Wedge, Tarrin, and a few others, at some point in the night. She might even try to find Nadine just to ruffle the man’s feathers again.    
  
“(Y/N)!”   
  
(Y/N) looks away from Luke to see Lando walking over to her with a big smile on his face.    
  
“Lando.”   
  
He comes to stand by her and touches her arm briefly in greeting, “How are you, lovely lady?”   
  
(Y/N)’s eyebrows raise but she doesn’t address the name calling, “I’m fine. Glad to see you survived the fight.”   
  
“Aw,” Lando touches his chest, “I knew you liked me.”   
  
(Y/N) rolls her eyes with a surprising amount of fondness, the amount normally reserved for Luke. Lando seems to notice, given the broad grin she gets in response.    
  
“Alright, now listen as I regale you with the story of my brilliance in the destruction of the Death Star.”   
  
“There’s nothing I’d rather do.”   
  
“I knew you’d say that.”   
  
As (Y/N) listens to Lando’s story, which does actually hold up to the hype and contain brilliance on his part, she looks around for Luke. She had lost sight of him when Lando had come over in his boisterous manner.    
  
He’s standing off away from the celebration, gazing into the darkness. At what, if anything, (Y/N) isn’t sure. Leia eventually retrieves him, bringing him back into the fold of the party. (Y/N) wills her gaze not to linger on him, refocusing on Lando, who thankfully hadn’t noticed, to enthralled in his own story.    
  
Lando eventually moves on, and after a brief conversation with Wedge, (Y/N) finds Luke by her side.    
  
“What were you looking at?” (Y/N) asks bluntly.    
  
Luke immediately knows what she means and supplies, “Ben, Master Yoda, and my father.”   
  
“Really?” (Y/N) obviously knows about Force spirits, but she hadn’t expected for Anakin to be one.   
  
“Yes,” Luke smiles, “He made it.”   
  
(Y/N) leans forward to peak around Luke. She looks critically into the darkness Luke had been facing before, but isn’t surprised to see nothing. Chirrut had said it was only Dagobah’s natural Force pockets that allowed her to perceive him and Ben.    
  
Her eyes flicker between Luke and the empty space, “Are they still there?”   
  
Luke glances over, “Yeah.”   
  
It makes sense. This is as much a victory for Ben and Yoda, even if it hadn’t gone down the way they had thought it would. And Anakin probably just wants to see his children in a different setting than he’s used to.    
  
(Y/N) graces Luke with a small smile, “I’m glad.”


	17. Chapter 17

(Y/N)’s eyes open and the first thing she sees is Luke’s sleeping face. 

She tries to scoot away, as his face is incredibly close to hers, so close she can see ghosts of the scars from the Wampa attack and count the individual eyelashes that stand out against his skin, but Luke just moves with her. (Y/N) blinks the sleep from her eyes and looks down to see Luke’s arm draped across her.   
  
After many hours of celebrating last night, everyone had finally decided to go to bed. Many had just fallen asleep in the communal area that had been used for the party, and many others had retreated to the larger rebel ships that had brought them to Endor’s surface. Leia and Han had disappeared at some point in the night, most likely for the Falcon where they’d have privacy. (Y/N) hadn’t particularly desired to spend another night in a nest, but she had seen the looks shared between the couple and known she’d have no place on the Falcon.    
  
So (Y/N) had returned to the nest as the party broke up, with Luke at her side. He had been exhausted, eyes half shut before even laying down, limbs still shaking from the lightning attacks he’d suffered. Shaking so minimal it would have gone unnoticed by anyone but (Y/N). She’d climbed into the nest first and then carefully watched Luke’s progress. He’d got in, making small noises of pain as he settled, and finally one of relief as he relaxed his muscles.   
  
“Are you alright?” (Y/N) had asked awkwardly, knowing he wasn’t.    
  
“Yeah,” Luke had replied tiredly, “just sore.”   
  
(Y/N) had laid down too, head propped up, leaving the appropriate amount of space between them.    
  
Luke had looked over at her, looking like he wanted to say something.    
  
“Luke,” (Y/N) had stopped him before he could start, “Just tell me in the morning. You’re exhausted.”   
  
Luke had probably wanted to protest, but (Y/N)’s glare had shut him up. He’d fallen asleep quickly, and deeply. And (Y/N) had decided to stay up and watch over him.    
  
Her plans had been derailed a few hours later, when she had found herself wrapped up in Luke’s arm. Apparently he hadn’t outgrown his unconscious cuddling tendencies. Warm and comfortable, and inexplicably feeling safe, (Y/N) had fallen asleep. Which is why she now finds herself in this situation.    
  
Luke stirs, slowly emerging from sleep. (Y/N) looks away for the first time since waking and stays carefully still as Luke’s hand slides innocently across her stomach as he rolls away from her and onto his back.    
  
He sighs deeply and says with a voice rough from sleep, “Good morning.”   
  
(Y/N) turns her head back to look at him, pretending she was just waking too, “Morning.”   
  
She can see by the lack of tremors that Luke had recovered from his ordeal while sleeping. His features are less stressed and overall looks well rested.    
  
(Y/N) realizes the two of them have been laying next to each other, staring wordlessly, for who knows how long, when the happy chatter of the bear creatures breaks the silence. (Y/N) immediately sits up to look at the furry faces peering at her and Luke expectantly. They beckon for the pair to leave the nest.    
  
(Y/N) waves them off, “Alright, we’re coming.”   
  
Luke sits up now too, a soft smile on his face at the antics of the bears.

He climbs out first, and (Y/N) follows him, accepting the helping hand Luke offers even though she doesn’t need it.    
  
The bears herd them from the hut, leading them to a large dining hut where many rebels mingle with the bear creatures. (Y/N) bats away the furry hands that try to push her and heads towards the food.  


***  


While it’s still before lunch, the party from last night seems to have returned. The pilots and crew members are lazing around, still celebrating the great victory. Booze has started flowing again and the bears have no qualms against it, playing their music and dancing around cheerfully.    
  
Han and Leia still hadn’t returned from the Falcon. (Y/N) wonders how long she and Luke should wait before bringing them water or something of substance. Maybe they should gang up on Chewie and make him go, (Y/N) is sure he’s seen Han naked before so it won’t do any harm.    
  
The leaders of the Rebellion are nowhere to be seen. (Y/N) had spotted several of them at the party last night, but it is a new day and their job is never done. There is still a large chunk of the Imperial Fleet out there and a new government has to be assembled and instated.    
  
(Y/N) had made her way to ground level shortly after breakfast, having grown tired of the boisterous rebels and music. She briefly rubs at her temple, willing the headache to disappear, before returning to cleaning the blaster in her hand. The other is already clean and resting on the ground nearby. There may be Imperials still out there in the forest, (Y/N) needs to stay vigilant.    
  
She makes no move when the sound of footsteps reaches her ears, though, recognizing them easily.    
  
“What are you doing down here?”   
  
“I could ask you the same,” (Y/N) shoots back playfully, before shrugging and answering honestly, “Parties aren’t my cup of tea.”   
  
Luke snorts in amusement as he comes to stand beside her. 

“I was a team player last night and participated, but no one will miss me today.”

(Y/N) swallows thickly, thinking about how it’s not just today. 

Luke doesn’t offer a response, but she can sense there is something weighing on his mind. Why else come down here?   
  
“What is it?”   
  
“I wanted to talk to you about something.”   
  
“I’m all ears.”   
  
“...It's about your third task.”   
  
(Y/N) wills her hands to not stutter as they clean the blaster so she seems unfazed. She is both surprised and not surprised that Luke has brought up their arrangement. Surprised because it has been years since either of them referenced it and unsurprised because it’s the natural conclusion to their story. (Y/N) has served her purpose to Luke. His friends are safe and the galaxy has been liberated, there is no need for (Y/N) anymore. She wonders if Luke even has a task for her, or if it will just be ‘Go’. (Y/N) briefly considers beating him to the punch: tell him she had performed more than three tasks for him and just leave on her own terms. Maybe then returning to the Temple will be easier to stomach because it will be (Y/N) that decides to go instead of being dismissed and sent back like a child. Perhaps if Luke isn’t the one to say it, isn’t the one to send her away, it will somehow hurt less.    
  
(Y/N) swallows thickly, knowing that won’t happen. She reholsters her blasters and stands, hands resting on her hips. She looks at Luke, jaw already tight with resignation, “Right. What is it?”   
  
Something nasty burns in her stomach, up into the back of her throat. And (Y/N) has no one to blame but herself. She shouldn’t have done this.

(Y/N) doesn’t regret not capturing Luke. But she regrets everything that followed. Staying. Getting familiar. Why did she spend so much time and effort convincing herself these people were her friends? Especially because it was the furthest thing from the truth. (Y/N) was nothing more than a tool, a means to an end. 

She should know better.

If only her Masters could see her right now. Her Masters. (Y/N) would have to leave this forest moon and return to the Temple. Return to her owners and return to a life of monotony, dredging across the galaxy at the beck and call of others. If they didn’t kill her on the spot, that is. (Y/N) swallows. She doesn’t fear death, but she is no longer apathetic about it. Before, (Y/N) had known each day could be her last, but she had been unmoved by the knowledge. She was a blunt tool wielded by others, her life wasn’t her own, and so it wasn't hers to worry over. (Y/N) had always fought tooth and nail to live, she pushes down the memories of the fighting pits, one of the few things in her past that still haunts her, because it wasn’t her life to lose. 

But now it is her life. (Y/N) felt a sense of self and autonomy she’d never felt before and she didn’t want to lose it. She didn’t want to return to the League. She didn’t want to go anywhere. She wanted to stay with Luke and the others. Han, Leia, Chewie, Lando, Wedge and some other rebels. (Y/N) didn’t want to leave. 

But isn’t up to her. It never has been.    
  
“Stay.”   
  
(Y/N) blinks. And again. “What?”   
  
Luke smiles nervously, “Stay here.”   
  
(Y/N) glances around like a moron, “On Endor?”   
  
“No,” Luke shakes his head, “I mean with me.”   
  
(Y/N)’s hands fall from her hips to hang uselessly and she frowns, not understanding, “What do you mean?”   
  
“I...” Luke rubs the back of his neck anxiously, “I’m asking you to stay here with me. Come with me to Coruscant or wherever we go next. Don’t go back to the Temple, don’t go back to those people. Just stay here-and not because I’m telling you to. I want you to stay because it’s what you want to do.”   
  
(Y/N) stares at him in shock as she processes what he just said.    
  
Luke shuffles a little and takes (Y/N)’s hand in his, “It’s your choice, like it always has been when it comes to you and me, (Y/N). I’m not like the others. If you want to go, you can go. But there’s a place for you here and there always will be.”   
  
Luke wants her to stay. (Y/N) looks down at their joined hands. She wants to stay. She wants to stay, but it might not be possible. (Y/N) belongs to the League, to her Masters. She’s been away for years, so they won’t be happy. The longer she’s away, the more unhappy they become. And this isn’t something she can run from. It would be foolish and incredibly risky for (Y/N) to stay here, and she was taught at a young age that being foolish and risky would get her killed.    
  
“I...” (Y/N) says carefully, “I don’t know if that’s within my abilities.”   
  
(Y/N) doesn’t even have to look to know how deflated he must look right now. Luke’s hand leaves hers to return to his side, but (Y/N) snatches it back in midair. She looks up at him, continuing, “But I’d like to try.”   
  
Luke’s gloved hand joins the other to hold (Y/N)’s between them. His eyes are bright and clear, “You do?”   
  
(Y/N) nods slightly, “Yes.”   
  
Luke steps closer to her and when (Y/N) doesn’t back up, he pulls her into a hug. (Y/N) carefully wraps her arms around his torso in reciprocation. Her hands rest lamely on his back, unsure what else to do, but it feels right. And Luke doesn’t seem to mind.    
  
“Stay,” Luke says again into her ear.    
  
“Yes,” (Y/N) replies. She can feel his smile.    
  
Luke pulls back just barely and (Y/N) has to practically go cross-eyed to focus on his face. He looks hesitant to take the obvious final step, unsure if she wants it and doesn’t want to make the choice for her.    
  
(Y/N) makes her choice clear, leaning forward and kissing him. It’s brief, (Y/N)’s never kissed anyone before, so she doesn’t know if she’s doing it right. It’s not often (Y/N)’s in the dark about things and it irks her, but she pushes down the feeling. Her eyes are clenched shut, ensuring she doesn’t give into temptation and look. If (Y/N) were to open her eyes and see something on Luke’s face that said she had misread the situation, she’d probably drop dead from embarrassment right there. 

She pulls away after a beat, only then allowing her eyes to open.    
  
Luke quickly closes the gap between them again, hand coming up to cradle the side of her head as he kisses her. (Y/N) follows his lead, tilting her head to the side and finds it much more enjoyable when her nose has somewhere to go. She winds her hands into the fabric of Luke’s shirt and presses closer, gaining confidence. Right or wrong, Luke clearly likes what she’s doing. The hand that’s not on her face rests warmly on her hip, grip tight, in a way that feels possessive but not in a bad way.    
  
Luke starts to smile into the kiss and eventually they have to stop. He rests his forehead against hers, blue eyes bright and clear, “Stay.”   
  
(Y/N) smiles and answers by kissing him again.  


***

(Y/N) sits up in bed, immediately awake, blaster aimed at the door. 

She registers that it’s Luke and lowers her arm, “Oh, it’s just you.”

Luke looks at her sheepishly from the door, “Sorry. I forgot my lightsaber.”

(Y/N) looks over her shoulder at the saber that rests on the table, “It’s alright.”

She lays back down and watches Luke move across the room. 

They are currently on a large rebel ship, traveling through lightspeed. The Alliance had left Endor the day after the Death Star had been destroyed, knowing once the word got out, Imperial ships would no doubt be traveling there to assess the situation. The rebel fleet is headed to Coruscant, where they will reaffirm their victory by taking the capitol. Any Imperials still there will be taken into custody. And then the rebel leaders will begin re-establishing democracy or conducting a galaxy wide search for remaining Imperial factions, (Y/N) isn’t entirely sure what their plan is at this point. 

For the better part of the journey, Luke had been with (Y/N) in her temporary room. It had been the one she was given after returning from Tatooine, but she still considered it temporary. She had no connection to this ship, it was simply a means to an end. And she was expecting the Alliance to return her ship to her once they reached Coruscant. But Luke had stayed in here with her as they travelled, laying beside her in the small bed. Now that (Y/N) had agreed to stay with him, Luke was able to fill her in on what would come next. After Coruscant was liberated, housing would be found for their small group, Leia would ensure they were placed near each other. (Y/N) would be rooming with Luke, something that made her stomach feel strange. 

They’d also spent a fair amount of the time kissing. (Y/N) figures it was making up for lost time, considering how far back she has tried to date when her feelings for Luke had developed. She isn’t sure exactly when, as she isn’t in the practice of registering or identifying her emotions as she goes through life. (Y/N) typically considers emotions a distraction or weakness, but understands the value of the ones related to Luke. 

He’d eventually left to find his own room to sleep in and must have forgotten to grab the lightsaber he’d taken off his belt so it wouldn’t get in the way. 

(Y/N) settles back down on her pillow, hand tucked back under it to hold her blaster, and tries to relax and drift back off. She hears Luke stop his movements on the other side of the bed. She says nothing, figuring he’ll either figure it out on his own or speak up. 

The mattress behind her dips as Luke sits on it. The sheet slowly moves and he asks carefully, “Is this alright?”

(Y/N) blinks at the wall, feeling a strange feeling in her chest, offering a quiet “Yes.”

Luke climbs in the rest of the way, kicking off his boots, and settling down a respectful distance away. His hand touches her back, letting her know he’s there. 

“Night.”

(Y/N) swallows, “Goodnight.”

She blinks at the wall several times, listening to how Luke’s breathing evens out as he relaxes. She shifts the arm under her pillow, feeling how the metal of the blaster presses against her skin. It’s a strong, unrelenting, solidifying feel that makes her feel secure at her most vulnerable. 

(Y/N) swallows and pushes down her instincts that protest as she leans over to place the blaster on the bedside table. 

She rolls over to face Luke and moves closer to him. He keeps still, watching her carefully. (Y/N) moves slowly, in unfamiliar territory, sliding up to rest her head on the pillow near his. Her hand lightly grabs his shirt. 

“Is this alright?” (Y/N) asks tentatively. 

“Yes, of course it is,” Luke answers immediately, wrapping his arm around her, pulling her even closer. 

(Y/N) sighs and settles against him. She should feel unprotected now, unarmed with her back to the door. But she doesn’t feel unsafe. (Y/N) can feel the solid weight of Luke’s arm around her and her hand resting against his chest can faintly feel his heartbeat, which is a bit faster than usual. (Y/N) trusts Luke with her life, she trusted him to tend her injuries and hold a leash attached to her neck, she can trust him to watch over her as she sleeps. 

She closes her eyes and listens to Luke’s steady breathing until she drifts off to sleep.

***

“Are you sure you have to go?”

(Y/N) nods, “Yes, Luke, we’ve been over this. This isn’t something I can run from. You don’t want me to become a wall decoration like Han, do you?”   
  
“Hey,” Han protests.   
  
Luke huffs a laugh, “No, I don’t. Are you sure I can’t come with you?”   
  
“I’m not having this conversation again,” (Y/N) gripes.   
  
“Well-“   
  
“Luke,” Leia groans, “enough. (Y/N)’s going, move on.”   
  
R2 announces his presence with a series of beeps.    
  
“Alright,” (Y/N) answers, “Get strapped in, I’ll be there in a minute.”   
  
R2 whistles and wheels away. 3PO follows him, lecturing in his usual way, “Now you be careful, R2.”   
  
(Y/N) glances over at Han and looks at him pointedly. Luke and Leia miss his small nod in response, too busy watching the droids.    
  
“Han. Leia,” (Y/N) nods at them in farewell.    
  
“We’ll see you soon,” Leia answers warmly.    
  
(Y/N) looks up at Luke who is still frowning at her, “Are you sure you need to do this? I don’t trust them.”   
  
(Y/N) rolls her eyes, “I don’t trust them either, but I know how they think. They won’t turn down an offer that guarantees them the kind of money proposed by the New Republic. They will say yes, but only if I’m the one to bring the proposal to them. They need to see that I’m still in their pocket, and the only way to achieve that is for me to do the whole song and dance before them. They won’t be happy with me, but I know how to handle them.”   
  
“I know, I know,” Luke sighs, “but I don’t like the idea of you going there. Can’t they come here?”   
  
“No,” (Y/N) shakes her head, eyebrow twitching over the fact that they’ve discussed this at length already, “I have to go back and face them,” she glances at the silver ship, “I’ve been away from home long enough as it is.”   
  
“No,” Luke says sharply, “That’s not your home, not anymore.”   
  
(Y/N) looks back at him and smiles at his conviction, stretching up to kiss him. She had intended the kiss to be brief, especially because Han and Leia are right there, but (Y/N) can’t bring herself to pull away. She knows this will be the last time she ever sees Luke. (Y/N) wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Luke stumbles, not expecting such a passionate goodbye, but soon gets with the program and kisses her deeply in return. (Y/N) draws the line at tongue, all too aware of the eyes on them, but makes sure to copy this feeling down to memory.    
  
Han coughs pointedly and (Y/N) finally pulls away. She looks deeply into Luke’s eyes and says, “Goodbye.”   
  
Luke smiles down at her and says quietly, “I’ll see you in a few days.”   
  
(Y/N) swallows, knowing the finality of her ‘goodbye’ had gone undetected.    
  
She turns away from the trio and walks to her ship without looking back. Her feet bring her up the ramp and she finally stops. (Y/N) twists to look back at Luke, Han, and Leia. Something stirs within her at the knowledge they will be here, awaiting a return that will never come. She flinches and turns back to face forward and walks the rest of the way up the ramp.    
  
(Y/N) walks past the large containers that fill every open space and settles into the pilot seat. She flicks the proper switches and the ship comes to life.    
  
(Y/N) pushes a button, before saying, “R2? You there?”   
  
A squeaky beep is her response.    
  
“Alright, let’s go.”   
  
(Y/N) throws the ship in gear and lifts off from the landing pad. She can see the small x-wing, meant to serve as her return ship, rise up to her left. She steers the ship away from Coruscant’s buildings and eventually out of the atmosphere and into the cold space beyond.    
  
The coordinates are already plugged in so the navicomputer quickly sets the route. (Y/N) shifts the levers forward and the stars stretch out around the cockpit windows as the ship jumps to light-speed.    
  
Once safely en route, (Y/N) leans forward to bury her head in her hands.  


***  


(Y/N) walks through the halls of her childhood with a Shadow on either side. They’re leading her to the large hall, whose style is similar to a throne room, which was probably intentional given the egos of her Masters.    
  
They enter through the double doors and (Y/N) walks alone to the center of the room. Before her are the throne-like chairs, each filled with a Master who looks down at her with thinly veiled disgust. 

(Y/N) has always been grateful she is forbidden from making eye contact with her Masters. With their overly saturated and blindingly shiny colors, it’s always been a burden to look at them. She is required to give them a quick look when she approaches them, and it is one that always makes her want to immediately look away. The colors hurt her eyes and make (Y/N) want to squint like she’s staring directly at a sun instead of a group of people in a windowless room. 

And now this time, she’s especially grateful. The idea of having to come back before these people, people who have done nothing but use and abuse her for their own pleasure and gain, and prostrate herself before them sickens her stomach. Having to put on this facade that she’s still a mindless slave for them to point in the direction of their choosing makes her skin crawl. (Y/N) may still wear their collar, but she no longer belongs to them. Well, yes, she does. But not mentally. She is no longer subservient to them. (Y/N) is her own person. And if she had to make eye contact with these people, (Y/N) doubts she’d be able to hide the fire in her eyes. Or the disgust.    
  
“Shadow (Y/N),” Master Ossi greets flatly, “It’s been quite a while since you last came before us.”   
  
“Yes, Master Ossi,” (Y/N) says with lowered eyes, “It has been.”   
  
“If I’m remembering correctly,” Master Dyla taps his chin, “You’re over four years late for the return from your mission to capture Luke Skywalker and turn him over to the Empire.”   
  
“You remember correctly, Master Dyla.”   
  
“Well I think I speak for everyone here when I ask where the hell have you been?”   
  
“The situation changed, Master Dyla,” (Y/N) states. She swallows around the phantom feeling of Master Dyla’s fingers tightening on her throat. Master Ga-teh sends him a pointed look at Master Dyla drops his hand, releasing the grip.    
  
“Care to elaborate?” Master Pok spits.    
  
“Of course, Master Pok, I was about to. In my attempt to capture Luke Skywalker, I was taken into the Rebel Alliance’s custody. Rather than spend the rest of my life in a cell or be killed for trying to take their poster boy, I made a deal.”   
  
“And can you explain why you didn’t immediately return after you were free?”   
  
“Yes, Master U’pa. First, I didn’t have much freedom because they didn’t want me to leave. I had tried to capture one of their own and knew the location of their hidden base. Second, it was a means of steady income.”   
  
“Steady income?”   
  
“Yes, Master Ossi,” (Y/N) nods, “I couldn’t return here empty handed. By providing my services for the Rebellion, I was able to make up for my failure to capture Luke Skywalker. The Naboo-model ship I came in is filled with fuel cells and rations. The value of the ship and its contents, when added together, is a monetary amount far more than what the Empire would have paid for Skywalker.”   
  
Several of the Masters exchange looks.    
  
“Quite the operation you had going,” Master Ga-teh compliments with a tone that reveals nothing.    
  
(Y/N) says nothing. She can only speak when called upon.    
  
“And what, pray tell,” Master U’pa asks, “would be your next step?”   
  
(Y/N) swallows, “Well, Master U’pa, as Master Ga-teh pointed out, it was a good operation. With your permission, I would return to Coruscant where the leaders of the Rebel Alliance are now rebuilding the Republic. While Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader are dead and the Death Star has been destroyed, most of the Imperial fleet is still out there and countless planets are still under Imperial control. The leaders are prepared to continue to pay me to help eradicate the rest of the Empire. As long as the arrangement is profitable for the League, I see no reason to terminate it.”   
  
“An interesting idea,” Master Dyla says, “There’s just one problem.”   
  
(Y/N) says nothing.    
  
“You have no right to propose such things, you have no right to think for yourself. You are our property!” Master Dyla shouts, “You are not your own person. You are a blunt instrument for us to wield when and as we please. You do not have free will, you do not have the right to anything we do not allow you.”   
  
“Master Dyla-“   
  
“Shut up!” Master Dyla snarls, “You were not given permission to speak.”   
  
(Y/N) shuts her mouth so quickly her teeth click painfully. Fingers dance across her throat again but don’t tighten.    
  
“You disrespected us by not completing your mission,” Master Pok says venomously, “And you continued your disrespectful behavior for the years after by failing to return to us. Your transgressions against us are worthy of death, and I vote we hand down the punishment you deserve.”   
  
Master Ga-teh holds up her hand, “Now, now...Shadow (Y/N) knows she was wrong. She has returned to us with a beautiful ship that is full of supplies to try and reimburse us for our loss.”   
  
“So you think we should let her go?” Master Dyla snarls.    
  
“No, of course not. She is our property, she has no right to determine who she works for and what she does,” Master Ga-teh crosses her legs, “I believe after a brief time in Correction, Shadow (Y/N) will return to the fold.”   
  
“I agree,” Master U’pa nods, “I think we can all agree to put this unfortunate matter behind us and move on.”   
  
(Y/N) swallows thickly. Correction.   
  
“Masters,” she refuses to let her voice quiver, “It is profitable-“   
  
“Quiet,” Master Pok cuts her off, “I suggest you agree with us, Shadow (Y/N). This is a most generous offer, one that could disappear very quickly.”   
  
“I-“   
  
“Of course,” it’s Master Dyla that cuts her off this time, “if you want to drag out this ugliness, we can. Because, now that I think about...the Rebel Alliance kept you, our property, from us for four years. That’s stealing. And you know how we treat thieves around here.”   
  
(Y/N) nods, heart going ice cold.   
  
“Exactly,” Master Dyla sneers, “So you can continue to argue or try to run, and we will send our best Shadows to deal with your former captors.”   
  
(Y/N)’s mind immediately flashes to the people on Coruscant. They wouldn’t be able to fight off the wrath of her Masters. Not without casualties. And casualties are something (Y/N) can’t afford. Han, Chewie, and Lando. Leia. Who, while still in the early stages, carried a child within her. Her and Han’s. Luke’s future niece or nephew. And Luke. He impatiently awaited her return to Coruscant. A return that would never occur. (Y/N) knew he would try to come after her, but she had taken steps to ensure that didn’t happen. She pushes down the regret and sorrow that fills her and takes a step forward.    
  
(Y/N) lowers her gaze to the floor and kneels, reciting, “I submit myself to the will of my Masters, for their will is the only will. My loyalty is to the League, as we are one in the same, and what benefits it, benefits me. I am grateful for anything and everything the Temple bestows upon me, for without it, I am nothing.”   
  
“Very good, Shadow (Y/N),” Master U’pa praises coldly, “Perhaps your time in Correction will be shorter than expected.”   
  
“Thank you, Master U’pa. I submit myself to your Correction, may I be molded into the League’s image by your guiding hand.”   
  
“Take her away,” Master Pok waves his hand at the Shadows waiting at the door.    
  
(Y/N) stands and bows to her Masters before turning away. The two Shadows lead her from the room, without restraints or removing her weapons, because they know she will follow. 

The double doors close behind her with a bang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 😱


	18. Chapter 18

(Y/N) is floating in a container of warm water, completely submerged, with no way out.  
  
She’s not drowning. There’s a tube attached to a mask, feeding her oxygen.  
  
She tries to calm her nerves. Breathe while she can, she never knows when the air will be cut off.

***

It’s so dark. Are her eyes open? (Y/N) isn’t sure.  
  
How long has she been in here? (Y/N) isn’t sure of that either.  
  
Just breathe. It’s all she can do.

***

_Open your eyes._  
  
That’s Luke’s voice. Is he here? How can he speak under the water?  
  
(Y/N) reaches out into the darkness, are her eyes shut again? She touches nothing but the glass of the container.

***

(Y/N)’s drowning. 

She’s drowning, surrounded by water. She can’t hold her breath for much longer. She needs to get to the surface. But there’s only water. It’s all around her. 

But somehow she can still breath. Did she develop gills?  
  
No. No, there are her lungs. (Y/N) still has lungs. She can feel them burning.

***

Her ribs ache. The bones are cracking under the pressure from the water around her. 

She’s in too deep.

‘Pull me out!’ (Y/N) wants to beg, ‘Please let me out! You put me in too deep! My lungs!’

But there’s something covering her mouth. 

And there’s no one around to hear.

***

Her ribs hurt less. (Y/N) realizes it was just bruising from the beating. Yes, the beating. She remembers the feeling of swelling around her eye.  
  
Her body is mending, but she still floats in water. Luke isn’t coming for her.  
  
If she could, (Y/N) would cry from relief. 

***

_(Y/N)._

Luke. Luke is here. He saved her. (Y/N) can feel his soft, strong hands lifting her. Cradling her.  
  
She tries to say his name, but her jaw won’t open.  
  
He doesn’t speak again. 

(Y/N) strains to hear something. Where is he? Where did Luke go? Why isn’t he saying anything?

Where is he? He was just here. 

But all she can hear is her heartbeat echoing in the container.

***

(Y/N)’s gasping for air. How long can one even last submerged in water?  
  
She’s choking. The stale air is killing her. Her lungs are collapsing.  
  
Her ribs are folding in, crushing her body. The pressure has gotten to them.  
  
(Y/N) claws at her throat.

***

The air burns as (Y/N) breathes it in. And the rough floor she is thrown down on hurts her skin. 

Her lungs ache. Is it the air? Or the fresh bruises forming on her ribs? 

A hand winds itself into her hair, lifting her head just high enough to slam it back down onto the floor. 

(Y/N) remains quiet, offering no reaction to the boot that kicks her again and again. 

The blows finally stop coming. 

“Shadow (Y/N).”

(Y/N)’s hands slide along the ground and she pushes herself up. Her left knee screams in agony as (Y/N) moves into a kneeling position. 

She swallows the blood pooling in her mouth, knowing it is disrespectful to spit out League property, and looks up at Master Ossi, “Thank you, Master.”

Master Ossi backhands her across the cheek, ring cutting her skin. 

“Put her back in.”

***

The metal casing closes with a loud click and (Y/N) closes her eyes. 

She is grateful for the mask supplying oxygen. Her ribs aren’t under as much strain when she breathes in. 

She pops her knuckles back into place, bending her fingers the best she can. One day (Y/N) will be allowed out of here and she’ll be a better Shadow if she can use her hands properly. 

***

_Luke._  
  
(Y/N) is out of the water and her eyes are open.  
  
His blue eyes and relieved smile look down at her.  
  
_You came for me.  
  
Of course I did. _

***

(Y/N) opens her eyes, seeing nothing but darkness. 

How long has she been here?

She had no idea. Time either flies or drags, she isn’t sure which. Maybe both. 

Her hand lifts up to touch the glass above her. 

(Y/N) had been trying to chart time based on how far along her injuries had healed. But now that she’s been pulled from this tank two...or is it three times? Four? She’s been pulled out several times now, new bruises laid over the old ones. 

There’s no telling how long she’s been in here now. 

Was that last session a week ago? Yesterday? A few hours ago?

(Y/N) doesn’t know. 

***

(Y/N) claws at her throat, screams trapped in her mouth by the mask. 

Her lungs. Her lungs. Her lungs. 

***

Her lungs aren’t collapsing. (Y/N) breathes in deeply to prove herself right. 

It’s just the drugs. The League had trained her to withstand this sort of torture. She remembers being thrown into a dark room with nothing inside. Going days without eating. And nothing to tell her they hadn’t just thrown away the key.  
  
The container on its own is not enough to break her, which is why they pull her out every once and a while to beat her and pump her full of drugs.  
  
Relax. Breathe in. There are her lungs. It’s all in her head.

***

(Y/N) can feel Luke’s hand lifting her up, but there are more dragging her back down. They are ugly and twisted like old tree roots. 

With claws like some horrible, demonic creature.  
  
They rip at her skin, digging down and hooking around her bones. They pull her back under the dark water.

***

_Luke, you came for me._  
  
He doesn’t answer.  
  
(Y/N) tries to scream. He’s in the water with her.

***

Breathe in. Breathe out. Calm down.  
  
Everything is fine. Nothing has changed.  
  
They will let (Y/N) out eventually. Until then, she will wait and breathe and dream.  
  
She can’t stop the dreams, something she’d never had before. They come and can’t be stopped. Some are nicer than others.  
  
But they all eventually pass. Because Luke isn’t coming for her.  
  
(Y/N) finds comfort in that. She’s the only one who is suffering.

***

Her fists clench and she swallows a groan. 

As if it had heard her peaceful thoughts, the line opens again and (Y/N) can feel more drugs enter her bloodstream. She can feel them, creeping up her arm like cold tentacles.  
  
(Y/N) can feel her heart start to beat faster and she braces for the mental onslaught she knows is coming. 

***

(Y/N)’s nails drag across the glass, trying fruitlessly to claw her way to freedom. 

‘Please,’ she wants to say, ‘Please let me out.’

***

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a flashback in this chapter, as usual it will be marked by ~~~.

“Master Luke,” 3PO enters the room, “Captain Solo.”  
  
“What is it, 3PO?” Luke looks at him hopefully. 

Han sits there quietly, biting the inside of his cheek.  
  
“Mistress (Y/N)’s ship is approaching.”  
  
Luke springs from his seat and hurries from the room, calling over his shoulder, “Thanks, 3PO!”  
  
Han stands as well and follows Luke out of the room. By the time he catches up to Luke, he’s already out by the landing zone and watching the skies expectantly. 

An X-wing, the one (Y/N) had borrowed, emerges from the clouds and slowly lowers onto the platform. 

Han grimaces. The cockpit is empty.  
  
“What?” Luke asks breathlessly to no one in particular.  
  
R2 ejects himself from the ship and wheels over to them quickly, beeping frantically.  
  
“Where’s (Y/N)?” Luke demands immediately.  
  
“Oh dear,” 3PO says, “It would appear Mistress (Y/N) is still at the Temple.”  
  
“But...” Luke is at a loss for words, looking at Han helplessly, “but she was supposed to come back.”  
  
R2 shakes his head and whistles.  
  
“Oh!” 3PO exclaims, “It would appear R2 has a recording.”  
  
“Play it,” Luke urges.  
  
R2 beeps and an audio recording of (Y/N)’s voice starts to play.  
  
“R2, you need to stay here. I have to go to the surface alone. I...I want to return to Coruscant, but there’s a good chance I won’t be able to. I’ve angered powerful people by staying away and...” (Y/N) stops talking, it doesn’t sound like she knows she’s being recorded. She takes in a breath, “I just need you to stay here. If you don’t hear from me, you have to leave. Don’t come after me. Go back to Coruscant and...just tell them I’m sorry, alright? Tell everyone that I’m sorry. Tell Luke I…” (Y/N)’s quiet for a moment, “Tell him I’m sorry that I lied. Tell him I wish things were different. And thank him, thank all of them. For most of my life...I was alone. Just...I was just going through the motions, there was nothing for me. But after meeting Luke, and eventually everyone else, I had something. Something to live for,” (Y/N) laughs weakly, “and something to die for I guess. Thank them for giving me a life, and reminding me that I’m my own person. I...” (Y/N) sighs, “I have to go. I have to go. Stay here, okay? You have to listen this time, you stubborn droid. Don’t come after me...Oh! Tell Han to keep his promise. I’m the only one who needs to suffer for this. They’ve been through too much, they don’t deserve this...especially for my sake.”  
  
The audio stops.  
  
Luke looks at Han, a look of total devastation on his face, and asks, “What promise?”

~~~

“I need you to promise me something.”

Han frowns, exchanging two cards, “Is this about the League?”  
  
(Y/N) is making her trip to the Temple tomorrow. Han understands why she has to go more than most people, given his issues in the past with Jabba.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Can’t Luke-” Han isn’t trying to push off the responsibility, he just knows Luke’s more honorable with the whole ‘promises’ sort of thing.  
  
“No,” (Y/N) cuts him off, “Luke can’t do this, he...he just can’t.”  
  
“What is it?”  
  
(Y/N) uncharacteristically fiddles with her cards, “I told Luke I’d...make it back so he’d let me go alone. But there’s a chance I won’t.”  
  
“Maybe we should come with you then,” Han offers genuinely. He doesn’t want (Y/N) to return to the Temple alone anymore than Luke does, but he knows arguments with (Y/N) are ones he won’t win. Leia too, for that matter.  
  
“No, don’t worry. It’s a small chance, but I wouldn’t be me without the raging paranoia.” The joke falls flat because Han can see her anxiousness under the playful tone.  
  
“Okay...”  
  
“I need you to promise me that you won’t let Luke come after me. If I don’t come back, it’s for good reason and I don’t want Luke getting involved.”  
  
“(Y/N),” Han sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. His eyes trace the scar on (Y/N)’s throat, “I don’t know if I can do that.”  
  
“Please,” (Y/N) implores, “You’re the only one I can ask this of. Luke only listens to you and Leia...and Leia is his sister...she’d go in, blasters blazing alongside him. You need to make him listen to reason. Promise me. Please.”  
  
Han looks at (Y/N)’s face, and can see how desperate she is that he agrees. Han’s known for years how much (Y/N) cares for Luke, but he’s never seen it so obvious before. Her overwhelming concern for his well being, with the simultaneous blatant disregard for her own. Han doesn’t like the second part even one bit.  
  
But he nods, maintaining eye contact, “I promise. I won’t let him come after you.”  
  
(Y/N) closes her eyes, “Thank you.”  
  
“Hey,” Luke’s voice announces his entrance to the room.  
  
(Y/N)’s face changes so quickly, it gives Han whiplash. Even after all these years of knowing and observing (Y/N), he is still shocked at how good she is.  
  
“Hello,” (Y/N) smiles her special smile only meant for Luke.  
  
“Got room for one more? I want another try at the Falcon,” Luke teases.  
  
“Nice,” Han says gruffly as he gathers up the cards and reshuffles.

~~~

“I promised her that I wouldn’t let you go after her,” Han answers. 

“You knew?” Luke says, betrayal coloring his voice, “You knew she might not come back, and you didn’t tell me?”  
  
“I’m sorry, kid. (Y/N) said it was just an ‘incase’ sort of thing.”  
  
Luke glances away at (Y/N)’s empty ship, gears visibly turning in his head. He looks back at Han with his ‘Jedi face’. It always throws Han off when Luke gets that look on his face, considering the talkative, bubbly personality he had when Han met him in Mos Eisley. There’s still a part of Han that pictures him as that dumb kid from Tatooine so it’s strange to see such calm stoicism and righteousness schooling Luke’s features. Han’s always been grateful in the past that the look was never directed at him, he imagined how intimidated one must feel with such an unwavering and quietly powerful gaze aimed at them. Han thinks Luke learned it from (Y/N).  
  
“Are you going to keep it?” Luke’s tone is carefully measured, another thing he probably got from (Y/N).  
  
Han smirks, “I promised I wouldn’t let you go, kid, but I never said anything about all of us.”

***

Luke walks down the Falcon’s ramp with Leia, Han, Chewie, and the droids. Lando had wanted to come with them, but was needed elsewhere. 

Before them is a large building. It looms over them in a very daunting way. But something is off about it, something not quite right.  
  
Leia makes a small noise beside him.  
  
Luke glances over, “What is it?”  
  
She doesn’t look back, eyes trained on the building, “There aren’t any windows.”  
  
Luke looks back and sees she is right. The grey of the building is unbroken by glass, just a solid slab. That’s what was off about it. He fights down a shiver, imagining the horrors hidden away within.  
  
“Are we clear on the plan?” Han asks.  
  
Luke and Leia answer as one, “Yes,” and Chewie barks with determination.  
  
3PO comments to R2, “I don’t like the looks of this place.”  
  
R2 beeps back.  
  
“I know,” 3PO’s robotic voice is filled with dread, “I loathe to think of Mistress (Y/N) growing up in such a horrible place. But not to worry, we are going to make sure she never sets foot in it again.”  
  
R2 whistles in response.  
  
Luke smiles at the concern the two droids have for (Y/N), “I like the way you think, you two.”  
  
Chewie barks his own support. Han pats his arm.  
  
The door, the only thing that breaks up the otherwise featureless building front, opens. A well built male comes forward. He wears grey clothing and a golden collar like (Y/N).  
  
“Why have you come here?”  
  
“We are here on behalf of the New Republic and would like to speak with the Masters,” Leia answers diplomatically. 

The male nods once, “My Masters have been expecting you. This way.”  
  
Luke and the others glance at each other as they follow the male into the building and down the hallway.  
  
The inside of the building is brightly lit and has the same sterile feeling as the outside. The hallway they walk down has several large archways on either side. Bold lettering tells Luke they lead to Shadows’ living quarters, training rooms, the infirmary, Correction which should probably really say ‘punishment’, display rooms, and so on. As they pass each, Luke’s curiosity gets the best of him and he looks. Many just reveal another hallway, but the infirmary is right there on the other side. There are many beds, but only a few have occupants. A nurse walks past the archway and glances their way, pace slowing momentarily, before refocusing on a patient.  
  
The male leads them to the end of the hall where a set of double doors open. There is no lettering, but it is clearly where the Masters await them.  
  
Luke passes through the doors behind Leia and sees a huge room that reminds him of somewhere a king’s throne would go. There are several chairs by the far wall, all filled with people who glare at Luke and the others.  
  
“Masters,” the male bows deeply but stepping away.  
  
One of the Masters speaks, “Welcome to the Temple of the League of Shadows.”  
  
“Thank you for seeing us,” Leia replies.  
  
“Why are you here?”  
  
“W-“  
  
“Enough,” another Master interrupts tiredly, “There is only reason why you would be here: Shadow (Y/N).”  
  
Leia nods, “Yes.”  
  
“You want her back.”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
A Master scoffs, “She isn’t for sale.”  
  
“She isn’t an animal,” Luke says sternly, “She’s a person and you have no right-“  
  
“We have the only right,” one Master spits, “She is a Shadow and we are her Masters. She belongs to us and it would serve you well to remember that.”  
  
“It would serve you well to not interrupt me,” Luke answers darkly.  
  
One Master snorts, “Are we supposed to be intimidated by you, Skywalker? You come in here with your lightsaber and burning righteousness and expect us to fall over ourselves to please you? You are barely one Jedi. We didn’t fear the Jedi when there had been thousands, we certainly don’t fear you now.”  
  
Leia touches his hand, reminding Luke of himself. He lets out a quiet breath, willing the anger that was developing to disperse.  
  
Leia addresses the Masters, “I have two questions.”  
  
“Ask away...Princess,” a Master says ‘Princess’ like it's an afterthought, and mockingly like Leia is just a child playing pretend.  
  
“Is there any situation you can imagine where we leave with (Y/N)?”  
  
The Masters look at each other with unimpressed looks on their faces.  
  
One answers, “No. Second question.”  
  
“Alright,” Leia continues, “You might not be intimidated by Luke...but what about an army?”  
  
“Army?” another Master scoffs, “What army?”

“We know your little dream team here pulled off some spectacular feats in the past, but you aren’t an army.”  
  
“Not us. The army of the New Republic. In case you didn’t know,” Leia says with false sweetness and smile, “slavery is illegal. You’re under arrest.”  
  
Several of the Masters laugh. Their cruel, cool laughter echoes in the large room.  
  
One actually wipes at her eyes, “I still see no army, Princess.”  
  
The communicator on Han’s belt beeps loudly.  
  
“Oh, sorry, that’s me,” Han raises a finger, grinning devilishly, “Just one moment.”  
  
He plucks the communicator from his belt, “Yeah?”  
  
“Han, old buddy,” Lando’s voice rings out like a bell, “Everyone is in place, should we start making our way to the surface?”  
  
A handful of the Masters stand from their seats.  
  
“Yeah,” Han answers, “I don’t think these slavers will come easily.”  
  
“Alright. See you in a moment.”  
  
The door behind Luke opens and a Rodian scurries forward. She passes them without a glance to immediately address the Masters, “Masters, several ships appeared out of hyperspace a moment ago. They have begun approaching the planet.”  
  
Leia smiles, “There’s the army. Your move.”

***

“We should have killed her.”  
  
Luke looks over at the Master who’s glaring at him.  
  
“I’m sorry?”  
  
“You heard me, Jedi. We should have killed Shadow (Y/N) when we had the chance. She was damaged goods. You made her weak.”  
  
“How?” Luke asks angrily, “How did showing her common decency and showing her that she is her own person weaken (Y/N)?” He leaves the ‘Shadow’ off of (Y/N)’s name and the Master’s face twitches at it.  
  
“We crafted her into the perfect killing machine and you made her human again. You took away her edge and gave her weaknesses. Do you know why your precious (Y/N) never returned to you?”  
  
Luke is silent.  
  
“All we had to do was threaten your lives. A vague threat and she collapsed like a house of cards and submitted to us. The (Y/N) we created would never have given herself up for others. You made her mortal.”

“And what about you?” Luke asks, “You and the rest of your slaver friends submitted to us after only a vague threat. We didn’t have to aim a blaster or even raise our voices at you, and you gave in. Do not speak to me of weakness or (Y/N) when you’re so clearly misinformed about both of them.”

“You-”

“You have more fear in your pinky finger than (Y/N) has in her whole body. It is you that is weak, not her. If the practice wasn't illegal and so beneath her character, I would say (Y/N) should be your Master, not the other way around.”  
  
Luke walks away without waiting for a response.  
  
Leia stands with a different Master and a protocol droid whose chest plate displays the symbol of the League.  
  
“H5,” Leia says sternly, “You will take us to (Y/N) now.”  
  
H5 looks at the Master expectantly.  
  
The Master’s fists are clenched tightly where they rest in cuffs, “Do as she says.”  
  
“Master U’pa, are you sure?”  
  
“Do it, droid!”  
  
“Yes, Master U’pa,” H5 turns to Leia and gestures, “Right this way.”  
  
There are more than enough Republic soldiers here to handle the Masters, not to mention the ones in the other areas of the Temple. Luke’s little group won’t be missed. Luke nods and they all follow H5.  
  
“Excuse me, Miss...”  
  
“Leia.”  
  
“Miss Leia, I believe Shadow (Y/N) is still in Correction, but I’m not sure where specifically. I do apologize profusely for the inconvenience.”  
  
“It’s fine, just take us to Correction and we will go from there.”  
  
“Yes, Miss Leia.”  
  
“H5, what is Correction?”  
  
“Well...”  
  
“Oh, Luke.”  
  
“Well, Mister Luke, Correction is where Shadows go when they need correcting. When they misbehave, like breaking a rule or performing poorly on a mission, they are sent there. At Correction, the Shadow is remolded into the League’s image by the guiding hand of the Masters, other Shadows, and droids on staff...Ah, here we are. Correction.”  
  
Luke looks at the lettering above the doorway in disgust.  
  
“Miss Leia, I believe the optimal route to finding Shadow (Y/N) would be going to where she has been spending most of her time here.”

“Lead the way,” Leia says, glancing at Luke.  
  
Luke looks around, taking in what he can. Correction looks like the rest of the building, grey walls, no windows, and people dressed in grey clothing. H5 leads them down one hallway and each side is lined with doors. Luke can hear a number of things from behind them. Crying. Screaming. Laughing. Singing. Or silence. He isn’t sure which is the worst.  
  
He stops at one door and lowers the small metal slab to peek inside. Tucked in one corner is a girl, who can’t be more than five. Her head rests on her knees, arms wrapped around her legs, as she rocks in place and cries.  
  
Luke jerks back, “H5.”  
  
“Yes, Mister Luke?”  
  
“This girl is so young, what rule could she have broken to deserve this?”  
  
Han steps over to look in the window, grimacing at the sight that greets him.  
  
“Oh, she isn’t being corrected, Mister Luke. She was recently brought into the League, we are simply breaking her in.”  
  
“I’m sorry?” Leia asks incredulously.  
  
“Do not worry, Miss Leia, it is for her benefit. It makes for an easy transition if we break them down first and then build them back up in the League’s image.”  
  
Leia’s face contorts with the rage and disgust Luke feels. He had grown up under the looming threat of the Hutts and slavers, but to hear it explained like this, like this cruelty was a kindness, turns his stomach.  
  
“Leia,” Han speaks up before Leia can, “She will be freed soon, they all will. Come on, we’re here for (Y/N).”  
  
Leia scowls but nods, “Let’s go.”  
  
H5 nods and continues in the direction he had been leading them. The protocol droid brings them to a closed door that quickly opens upon the press of a button.  
  
Inside the room are rows of containers that look like bacta tanks laid on their sides, except there are no glass panels. Just metal.  
  
“What are these?”  
  
“Well...”  
  
Han sighs in frustration, “Han.”  
  
“Mister Han, these are our deprivation tanks,” H5 continues, “We use these on our tougher cases: the more experienced Shadows.”  
  
“How does it work?” Luke asks, knowing from what little (Y/N) has shared about her past that her training included resisting different types of torture.  
  
“Well, Mister Luke, the more experienced Shadows are enclosed inside for long periods of time. The prolonged immersion inside, mixed with a special cocktail of drugs, will break down the Shadow’s mental fortitudes until they are susceptible to the remolding process.”  
  
Luke frowns, “W-“  
  
“Luke,” Leia shakes her head, “enough. We need to get her out. H5, how can we find (Y/N)?”  
  
“I can open the metal casings with this control panel, Miss Leia,” H5 replies easily as he walks over to the panel, “That way you can find Shadow (Y/N).”  
  
“Okay, do it.”  
  
“Yes, Miss Leia,” H5 complies immediately, pressing a series of buttons on the panel. All the containers come to life, the metal sheath sliding away to reveal a plate of glass and a liquid contained inside.  
  
Luke immediately takes off down one of the walkways, looking into each container. The others spread out and do the same. Most of the containers are empty, but some do house Shadows. They all lay motionless in the liquid, with tubes connected to their arms and air masks attached to their faces.  
  
“Master Luke,” 3PO calls while R2 beeps frantically, “We’ve found her!”  
  
Luke turns on his heel and hurries towards the droids, while Leia and Han make their way over from the other side of the room.  
  
H5 calls out something from the control panel but Luke doesn’t hear it, his entire world is (Y/N) and getting to (Y/N). He comes to a stop by 3PO and looks down into the container.  
  
(Y/N)’s eyes are shut and, while he can’t see the bottom half of her face, her expression seems peaceful. She wears a thin tank top and a plain pair of shorts. The right side of her face is bruised, which burns in Luke’s stomach because he knows how close whatever left that bruise came to her old head injury. His hand clenches tightly, H5 hadn’t mentioned any beatings. Beyond the healing bruises, she seems unharmed. The liquid level lowers until the top half of the glass can slide away to expose (Y/N) to the air. Luke bends over, uncaring about his sleeves getting wet, immediately sinking his arms into the liquid to wrap around her body. He lifts her up carefully and tries to remove the air mask.  
  
It won’t budge. Luke scowls, offering to whoever is listening, “The mask won’t come off.”  
  
“Oh, of course, Mister Luke. My apologies.”  
  
A soft beep sounds from the small control panel on (Y/N)’s tank and the mask is suddenly easy to remove. It makes sense, Luke thinks absently, stopping the Shadow from being able to tamper with it. An alarm beeps but is quickly stopped. The steady beep of the heart monitor shuts off too and the display screen goes dark.  
  
“Luke,” Leia says, “H5 says the needles can come out.”  
  
Luke barely hears her, eyes locked on (Y/N)’s face, “(Y/N)? (Y/N), can you hear me?”  
  
(Y/N) doesn’t even twitch. Luke frowns with worry, touching her face gently. Something is wrong. (Y/N)’s the lightest sleeper in the galaxy. Someone could sneeze three rooms from her and she’d wake up.  
  
“(Y/N)?”  
  
“Luke,” Han’s hand on his arm makes him jump and finally look away from (Y/N), grip tightening instinctively.  
  
“She’s drugged,” Han continues calmly, “she won’t wake up.”  
  
A shifting of (Y/N)’s body pulls Luke’s attention to Leia, who is carefully removing the needles from (Y/N)’s forearm.  
  
“Come on,” Han says, hand resting carefully on his arm, “Let’s get the hell out of here.”  
  
Luke nods, “Right,” and readjusts his grip on (Y/N). He straightens once she’s safely cradled in his arms, and he’s reminded of the day they first met. When she had stolen him away to that alley, changed her mind, then made the whole Rogue Squadron chase her all around that town where they’d only caught her because of Luke using the Force, and then Luke had carried her to their ship like this.  
  
“You got her?”  
  
“Yeah,” Luke leans back so (Y/N)’s head shifts to rest safely against his arm, “I’ve got her.”  
  
Luke follows Leia out of the room and back down the hallways they had walked through earlier. The doors that once held Shadows, including the young girl, are now open. A squadron of Republic troops are leading her and the others towards the nearby common room. Luke can see the tension leave Leia’s shoulders at the sight. 

The Shadows all look around in confusion, trying to figure out what is happening. Many of them stare at (Y/N) where she rests in Luke’s arms, either recognizing her or seeing the collar on her neck and knowing she’s one of them.  
  
H5 stops once they reach the main hallway, bowing respectfully and offering a farewell, and the group moves past him.  
  
Luke glances down at (Y/N)’s face, prodding at her mind with the Force.

(Y/N)’s mind is usually a tightly closed trap. Nothing gets in or out. He can tell immediately that her time in the Temple has been damaging. Her mental walls are still in place but they have weakened drastically and he can feel her presence behind them. It is buried deep within, her mind’s attempt to protect itself. It's beyond his reach and Luke can tell it will only come back to the surface when it’s ready. All he can do is wait.  
  
Luke glances up when he feels eyes on him. They are walking past the infirmary and the nurse he had seen before is watching them. Her eyes are latched onto (Y/N)’s body, a look of something almost like concern on her face. The nurse looks at Luke and his pace slows as he looks back at familiar green eyes.  
  
The nurse holds his gaze steadily for a moment before disappearing behind the wall.  
  
Chewie growls softly.  
  
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Luke says, unwilling to look away from the infirmary. They continue down the hall and Luke only looks forward again when he has to.

***

(Y/N) opens her eyes and immediately shuts them again. She’s been encased in a dark container for who knows how many days, making her incredibly sensitive to the light. Moving her hand to shade her eyes, (Y/N) opens one of them slightly.  
  
What she sees surprises her. It’s the medical room on the Millennium Falcon. How did she get here?  
  
Han.  
  
(Y/N) scowls. She is going to kill that smuggler.  
  
She sits up, taking a deep breath to reorient herself, and throws the blanket off. (Y/N) stands up from the cot, the cool floor on the bottom of her feet serving as a good anchor. Her legs feel weak and her balance is still off. (Y/N) shakes her head and walks towards the door.  
  
Her hand smacks against the doorframe and the rest of her body comes to lean against it. (Y/N) blinks rapidly, doing what she was taught in order to recover. She pushes off from the frame and continues down the hallway.  
  
“(Y/N)?”  
  
(Y/N) turns around at Luke’s voice and the rapid footsteps that follow it.  
  
“Oh f-“ (Y/N)’s words cut off as Luke barrels into her. She’s still unsteady and tumbles backward. 

Luke realizes what’s happening halfway through the fall and tries to twist their bodies so he takes the brunt of the fall. It doesn’t work and (Y/N)’s back smacks down onto the Falcon’s floor with the majority of Luke’s body on top of hers. She’s aware enough to tuck her chin so her head doesn’t hit the ground.  
  
Luke gasps, “Oh my god, (Y/N)! Are you alright?”  
  
“...Yeah?” (Y/N) groans.  
  
It’s not a particularly convincing answer, but it seems to be enough for Luke because he quickly moves on. 

He wraps his arms around her and holds her close. (Y/N)’s arms are trapped against her body, so she’s helpless to stop him from frantically pressing kisses to her face and neck.  
  
“Luke,” (Y/N) grimaces, “What is it?”  
  
Luke doesn’t seem to hear her, just keeps pulling her closer, saying between kisses, “Thank god...I was so worried...don’t you ever do that again...(Y/N)...I love you...I was so scared...”  
  
(Y/N) blinks, “I love you too.”  
  
“...ever again...I-what?” Luke pulls away from where he was nuzzling under her jaw.  
  
(Y/N) squints at him, a smile pulling at her lips, “I love you too.”  
  
Luke’s jaw drops, “Did I say that?”  
  
(Y/N) huffs, “Yeah.”  
  
“Oh,” Luke looks sheepish, “I didn’t mean to say that.”  
  
(Y/N) frowns up at him, “You taking it back?”

“No,” Luke says immediately, “Never.”  
  
“Good,” (Y/N) smiles.  
  
Luke groans softly and drops his head onto (Y/N)’s collarbone.  
  
“What is it?” (Y/N)’s trapped hand pats Luke’s thigh comfortingly.  
  
“I had planned on telling you a little differently than on the dirty floor of the Falcon.”  
  
“I don’t mind,” (Y/N) replies, “and be careful Han doesn’t hear you speak ill of his baby.”  
  
Luke lifts his head to show his smile and moves to kiss her. (Y/N) reciprocates, wondering if Luke can feel how her heart beats faster given how close they are, but soon pulls back, grimacing, “Can we get off the floor now?”  
  
Luke blinks and looks around like he had forgotten their situation, “Oh, right,” and stands, pulling (Y/N) up with him. 

He leads her back to the medical room and sits her down on the cot. (Y/N)’s heart jumps into her throat when he doesn’t immediately join her, but breathes a silent sigh of relief when she sees he’s only turning the lights down.  
  
Luke sits on the cot, scooting back to rest against the wall. He is close to her but leaves room, leaving the choice to her. (Y/N) makes it immediately, sliding up against him. Luke’s arms wrap around her, holding her close. Her head falls onto Luke’s shoulder and she focuses on the smooth skin inches from her nose.  
  
(Y/N) does everything she can to control her breathing, but she can still feel the drugs in her system and the imbalance in her psyche.  
  
Luke notices, of course, how couldn’t he with their proximity, and pulls her closer, “(Y/N), it’s alright.”  
  
(Y/N) breathes out shakily as tears run down her cheeks.  
  
“I’m here,” he says softly, “What is it?”  
  
Her hand wraps itself tightly in the fabric of Luke’s shirt, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I lied.”  
  
“(Y/N)-“  
  
“I didn’t want you to get hurt. I didn’t want to go back to the League,” (Y/N) starts speaking quicker, “Please believe me. I want to be with you, but I had to stay. They threatened your life,” her voice breaks, “They were going to kill you for stealing me away. They were going to kill Leia, Han, and Lando too. I couldn’t let that happen. Luke,” (Y/N)’s eyes widen as the situation she’s currently in finally hits her, “you have to take me back. They won’t stop coming for me, take me back and I can try-“

“(Y/N),” the firmness in Luke’s tone makes her rambling stop.

“It’s okay,” he continues, hand coming up to wipe away the few tears she couldn’t stop from escaping, “I know why you did what you did. R2 played a recording of you and one of the Masters told me they threatened to hurt me. And you don’t have to worry about them.”

(Y/N) lifts her head off Luke’s shoulder to ask, “Recording?”  
  
Luke nods, “Before you went to the Temple.“  
  
(Y/N) scowls, “I’ll have to talk to him after I talk to Han.”  
  
“Well,” Luke says, leaning over to brush his lips against her skin, kissing away the last tear, “Han’s argument is that you told him not to let me go but you never said anything about all of us.”  
  
(Y/N) lets her head fall back onto his shoulder with a frustrated noise.  
  
Luke presses a kiss to her head and (Y/N) can feel the smile.  
  
“Why don't I have to worry about my Masters?”  
  
“They aren’t your Masters anymore. They aren't anyone’s. They surrendered without a fight.”  
  
(Y/N) scoffs, “Doesn’t sound like them.”  
  
Luke shrugs, careful not to jostle (Y/N) too much, “They knew they were beaten.”  
  
“And how’d they know that?”  
  
“We had the whole Republic fleet with us.”  
  
“What?!” (Y/N) lifts her head again.  
  
Luke smiles at her, “You have more friends than you think.”  
  
(Y/N) rolls her eyes, “You mean that you have friends.”  
  
“The former leaders of the Alliance were all for getting you back. And we barely stopped Lando from boarding a ship and flying to the Temple the moment he heard you were there.”  
  
“No one’s going to say ‘no’ to Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight, destroyer of the first Death Star, hero of the Rebellion,” (Y/N) argues.  
  
Luke huffs, “Will you give yourself some credit?”  
  
“For what?” (Y/N) asks, being deliberately difficult.  
  
Luke’s barely contained smile says he knows exactly what she’s doing, “For befriending Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight, destroyer of the first Death Star, hero of the Rebellion.”  
  
(Y/N) hits Luke’s arm, “Who said anything about befriending? They’re a liar.”  
  
“Oh, really?”  
  
“Yes,” (Y/N) replies surly, “I don’t have friends. I’m dark and brooding.”  
  
“Of course,” Luke says, humoring her.  
  
“And don’t you forget it,” (Y/N) snuggles closer to Luke in direct contrast to her words.  
  
“I’d never dream of it. And I would never say a thing about the declarations of love we just exchanged.”  
  
(Y/N) snorts, “Obviously. Can’t have you ruining my reputation.”  
  
Luke laughs loudly while (Y/N) moves around on the cot so they’re in a more comfortable position. She eventually settles back down against Luke’s solid body and breathes out in relief. She can feel her mind and body finally settling.  
  
They’re quiet for a moment.  
  
“Hey, glad to see you're awake,” Han says gruffly from the doorway, breaking the silence.  
  
(Y/N) glares halfheartedly at him, not even bothering to lift her head from Luke’s shoulder, “I’ll deal with you later.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah,” Han waves her off.  
  
“(Y/N) loves me,” Luke announces proudly over her head.  
  
(Y/N) punches him, “Ass.”  
  
“You’re just figuring that out?” Han snorts.  
  
“Asses,” (Y/N) points between them, “Both of you.”  
  
Han laughs as he walks away.  
  
“But you love me anyway.”  
  
(Y/N) presses a kiss to Luke’s neck, smiling at the muscle that jumps in response to the tender touch, “Yes. I do.”

Luke’s arm tightens around her. She can feel him all around her. His chest rising and falling against hers, the soft exhales of his breath fanning over the top of her head, the muscle in his shoulder repurposed as her pillow, a strong arm across her back, a warm hand holding her leg close to him. (Y/N)’s spent the last...however many days in a tank of water or having fists and insults thrown at her. This is the exact opposite. It feels claustrophobic by comparison, but in a good way. (Y/N) doesn’t mind having her entire world consist of Luke. 

(Y/N) swallows the jumble of words that dance across her tongue. She doesn’t know how to say it. 

How does she tell Luke that the only thing that kept her sane was dreaming of him? How does she tell Luke that it was his face and hands and eyes and voice that gave her the strength to continue existing instead of just letting the League wash away the person she had become? How does she tell Luke that a few years ago she would have submitted to Correction, would have taken the abuse in stride and allowed herself to be molded by her Masters like wet clay and that now she had resisted every step and refused to give in and forget herself? How does she tell him that? How does she put into words how much he means to her? 

(Y/N) curses her Masters and her upbringing for making her into a person that can’t speak. She curses the fact that she can’t tell Luke such important things. 

But then (Y/N) remembers how he came for her. She remembers that he defied her efforts to protect him and defied the logic that said he shouldn’t take on an organization that specialized in training assassins and had outlasted galactic wars and the rise and fall of countless governments. She remembers that he brought the full force of the New Republic to bring her back to him. She remembers his frantic, relieved behavior once he knew she was awake and alright. She remembers how he told her that he loved her. 

And (Y/N) also knows that the two of them have been able to communicate with just a look for years. (Y/N) has always been a woman of few words, and it’s never stopped Luke from understanding her before.

So maybe (Y/N) doesn’t have to tell Luke all of that. Maybe he just knows already.

So instead of mulling over how to articulate everything, she just shifts to tuck her arm around Luke’s side more securely and says, “I love you.” She knows Luke can’t read her mind, but for just a moment, she wishes he could. She wishes he could just pluck the thoughts from her head like fruit from a tree and understand that those three small words carry a whole novel of words (Y/N) doesn’t have the ability to say. 

“I love you too,” is his reply.

(Y/N) thinks Luke understands. Because she understands more is being said in his reply. It’s all she can do right now, is think. Maybe one day she’ll be able to make sure he definitely understands by telling Luke to his face. She smiles, thinking about how she has her whole life in front of her to figure out how. 

(Y/N) falls asleep to the sound of Luke breathing and his hand rubbing steady circles on her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clarify: the Masters give in because they’ve never been challenged like that before. The Jedi and governments like the Old Republic never tried to shut down the League, we’ve seen them knowingly allow slavery to continue in other areas (Hutts). Luke and Leia just didn’t give a shit if they had jurisdiction or not and shut things down. In addition, the League does not have the numbers or gravitas it had in the past, so it wouldn’t have been able to fight the New Republic’s army.
> 
> Alrighty! So this story is over, but this is not the last time we will see (Y/N), former member of the League of Shadows. In about a month, the sequel to this story will start to be posted so keep an eye out for it! Stay safe!


End file.
